CPU Temp Issues after using ThermalGrizzly Conductonaut

[RedEyesWhiteSwaggin]

I'm trying to diagnose cooling issues with my new build. My only conclusion is that using ThermalGrizzly liquid metal actually damaged the surface of my IHS but I'm hoping for input/things I might have missed. First picture is my first application on my 5600X in a B550 Auros Elite V2. I got a similar application on to the Arctic 360 cold plate. This worked great. I would get a stable 30C (room is never above 23C) and it would maybe jump up a few C if I opened a bunch of chrome tabs and would be ~50C under load (Superposition Benchmark or similar). This is all with near silent operation and the default bios fan curve. I (stupidly) decided to mess with a good thing.

I realized I meant to get the B550 Pro V2, not the elite and Microcenter was being difficult with giving me the $30 discount with mobo+cpu so I decided to return both. The liquid metal came off the IHS perfectly and had no issues with the exchange, but it stained my AIO coldplate as expected. I talked myself into a 5800X and regretted it since. I believe my first liquid metal application performed as expected but I had issues once I switched AIOs to fit into my new case.

I tried new liquid metal on both the cold plate and IHS, MX4, MX5, some EK paste, 2 different mobos, and 3 different AIOs (arctic and EK basic). I was never able to get my 5800X clean after the first application with IPA or acetone: the liquid metal stained the IHS badly and seemed to leave some pitting. All of these iterations performed poorly in the same manner: jumping up to 60C on startup, usually going back to 40C completely idle, Jumping to 60C when simply opening a single chrome window, and going up to 70C when doing basic gaming like LoL. This behavior happens even if I default the fans/pump to 100% in bios, in an open case, with case fans at 100%, and with or without Ryzen Master OC.

All the testing I've seen shows temps should be much lower and much less jumpy. I can really only see two options:
 

1. The 5800X always ran hot/jumpy and I'm just remembering the 5600X
2. The liquid metal actually damaged the IHS and my only option is lapping the IHS or seeking recompense from ThermalGrizzly
    

 

The second photo is the damaged/spotty 5800X with some paste before spreading. The third photo is the 5800X after mounting it with some paste just to prove/disprove my competency. To be clear, I am currently using a mobo and AIO that have not been in contact with liquid metal at all. 

Edit: I understand my temps aren't crazy or out of spec; I just have never seen temps so jumpy and high doing basic things.