Counterfeit 68040 (L88M mask revision) from eBay

[dontdoxmeman]

Bought an MC68040 to upgrade my Quadra 605 from this eBay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1PCS-MC68040RC40A-New-MPU-ColdFire-Processor-RISC-32bit-40MHz-179-Pin-PGA-Tray/323076959423

The image showed the L88M mask revision which is supposed to be the one that runs nearly cold. I figured it was probably not really a L88M revision chip, but figured why not since it's eBay and I can get my money back if necessary.

Well, the good news is it's a real 68040 according to MacBench, and the bad news is it runs about 15 degrees C hotter than my old XC68LC040 CPU when aiming an IR thermometer at the CPU. The screen printing on the eBay CPU looks less fake than the eBay listing image did, but still dodgy and fake.

I'll be opening a dispute with eBay, but in the event that I end up keeping this chip (or getting another one that runs hot) does anyone have any heatsink recommendations?

 

[LaPorta]

Well, I guess to make the best of it, work some heat compound and a heat sink on that bad boy and use it!

 

[dr.diesel]

The datecode, 0823, indicates it was manufactured in 2008?  Were 5v 040s even produced that late?

 

[Daniël]

The datecode, 0823, indicates it was manufactured in 2008?  Were 5v 040s even produced that late?

If they were, I'd expect it to have the Freescale logo silkscreened on it instead of the Moto logo.

 

[jessenator]

I'd expect it to have the Freescale logo silkscreened on it instead of the Moto logo.

shhh... you'll tip off the fakers   

I wish someone like plgDavid (youtube) had documentation on what to actually look for for larger CPU fakes. He's mainly covered other DIP style sound chips for synths and the like. At one point I did see freescale-badged 040s on eBay and thought about a $50 experiment to see if they were genuine, but I didn't see that listing last time I checked, so oh well. AmigaWiki has the beginnings of a decent database for various 040s (and fakes), but doesn't seem to have any fakes information/ID tips at all. 

I'd assume, Daniel, your thought of looking up a date code and comparing it to ownership/fab branding will weed out the low-quality fakes for sure, but a lot of folks I assume would love a sure-fire way if it were possible :/  

In the states, I think the only reliable way to get a full, genuine 040 is to buy from RetroComputing/Herb Johnson, as he tests every 040 he sells before he ships it out. Other side of the pond, I'm not sure. I was very fortunate to have gotten not only a 40 MHz version, but an MC-qualified version as well. Not sure what he has left.

 

[ttb]

I also bought an "L88M" 040 from eBay with similar results. Seems like an oddly specific thing to counterfeit, I guess using a full 040 makes it harder to dispute.

Does anyone have thermal camera images of a known good L88M or K63H running with no heatsink? That would provide more robust evidence of what's fake/real than more subjective anecdotal statements like "real ones run cool to the touch". FWIW, my "L88M" does 40MHz at 60 °C with a low profile heatsink attached. Decidedly not "cool to the touch".

 

[MrFahrenheit]

I notice from your photos one starts with MC the other XC. Also one has a B at the end the other an A. 
 

Is that normal for CPUs that were made for use in Macs?  Could these CPUs be from telecom equipment ?  I bought an old telephone switching board for $20 on eBay that came with a 68040 in it. The masked info was slightly different than I’m used to seeing on the ones in Macs. 

 

[dontdoxmeman]

I notice from your photos one starts with MC the other XC. Also one has a B at the end the other an A. 
 

Is that normal for CPUs that were made for use in Macs?  Could these CPUs be from telecom equipment ?  I bought an old telephone switching board for $20 on eBay that came with a 68040 in it. The masked info was slightly different than I’m used to seeing on the ones in Macs. 

Most of the 68040s that were in Macs were the XC models. Motorola took a long time to fully qualify the 68040 as a MC part according to something I read online a while ago. The XC chip in the photo I took is the original cpu from my Quadra 605. 

 

[dontdoxmeman]

Got some 3M 8810 thermal tape (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QSHPH8E) and a little fan/heatsink combo (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZTM539S) and installed them in my Mac. Hooked up the fan to the 5V hard drive power and stuck the heatsink on the CPU, and it all fits perfectly. The fan is probably overkill but it's quiet enough and consumes very little power so I don't really care.

 

[mackie]

Hi,

I recently got hold of a similar "02L88M" 68040 from Ebay (seller mia******). Mine has exactly the same date code and appearance and as mentioned before, the CPU should be made by Freescale if made in 2008. What's interesting too is the package number (S22899-010); it belongs to one of the first revisions according to http://www.cpu-world.com/ (do a search for 'S22899-010'). This in combination with the white ink printing makes me pretty sure that these CPUs are fakes and I'm thinking about returning it.

 

[Spyffe]

Thank you mackie, I still see mia******'s listing and I'm very grateful to you for saving me a lot of annoyance.