Need some advice on an AIO for a Kraken G10 on an R9 290

I have a Kraken G10 on my reference 290. When I got it I was short of funds so went for a Corsair's H55 cooler. After 14 months I'm suspecting the pump has gone on the H55 as the GPU is hitting 95 Celsius, when I first got it it rarely went above 70.

Is there a way of specifically diagnosing a faulty pump? The inlet pipe to the rad is scorching and the outlet much cooler, which points towards the pump working in my mind. I've eliminated dust buildup so a bit of a loss as to what could be going wrong. Unless if it's the thermal paste (I used arctic silver)?

Was looking at the Kraken x31 as I need a 120mm rad due to space shortage in my Antec 302 case, or is it worth just having the rad outside the case though a PCI slot?

Would appreciate some advice if anyone has any to offer. Don't really want to fork out on a new AIO just to see the same temps.

Consider a cheap case change? Fractal Define S is around £60 (£56 is the cheapest) and will take 2x360mm rads with little issue while being a pretty awesome little case. IF it's the AIO at least you can upgrade as you go. Pretty sure heat should be fairly even throughout, the point of the water cooling is the liquid is circulated so you have a positive temperature delta at the CPU and a negative one at the rad, once it's circulating the overall temp of the water doesn't have a huuuuuuge difference at various points. If it's a mild difference, no beef, if one side is scorching and the other cold, I'd say it's a dead pump.

A jammed pump would see water in the highest tube heating and just passively dissipating slightly once it reaches the rad. Does sound like what you have there, sadly.

I hadn't considered a case change, good idea. Not that I'm unhappy with the Antec, for the money when I got it some years ago it was a lovely case. Though I recently build a rig for my son's friend in a Phanteks Emphoo Pro, which put my Antec to shame in terms of quality and design.
Though that wouldn't get me back to gaming again without an outlay of ~£140.

One small observation in your comments Mercutio, My rad has the lowest tube as the hottest. But by the sounds of things it is a dead pump.

What I think I might do, is go for the Kraken X41 as it's currently 10% off and feed it out the back of the case through the PCI slots till I have enough to upgrade my case.

At least that'll get me back to gaming in time for No Man's Sky.

Ordered the X41, but wont be putting it through the PCI slots, that was a stupid idea. I'll just leave the side of the case off till I can afford a new case. Seems like a good plan.

Quick update, installed the X41, much nicer piece of kit than the Corsair H55, oozes quality in comparison.

Confirmed it was a dead pump on the Corsair, as temps now never exceed 60 Celsius.

Looks dead ghetto with the side panel missing and a bloody great rad and fan whirring away