Clean CPU Block?

[Sone]

Bought some second hand watercooling kit at the weekend. EKWB radiator, EKWB cpu block, EKWB pump all pre looped in a case.

Gave it a leak test and the old faint heart never ****** a pig moved my kit over and its working fine but temps not great. As its been running for a few days now confident everything is ok so was going to drain / refill and clean out the CPU block. Problem is I have no idea what model it is. From work experience I would never normally take something appart like this without a seal kit but is it usually needed on CPU blocks?

 

[jabski]

Most cpu blocks should come apart ok. Can you post a picture

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Usually needed no
Can we 100% guarantee the O ring will
Be absolutely fine
Also a no
Never had any issues with it personally
Only time I ever had to dig out
A tube of instant gasket was when acrylic cracked
And the crack went from inside to outside the O ring

Is there a reason you think the block is causing
The temperature issues?

Could it be not enough radiator
Compared to what you're trying to cool?

 

[Sone]

not saying it is causing temperature issues. Just as kit second hand no idea how well been maintained so thought prudent to open it up and nake sure

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

If its been used with coloured coolant
Then yeah may be a good idea
Neglected mine due to health issues
And the red coolant did clog the cpu block microfine
Though if they're clogged
You should get an idea by the flow rate

If you don't know what block it is
And the O ring does need replacing
You might have to make your own
Or get creative with some instant gasket or similar

 

[Parsley]

If you're concerned I'd open it and give it a clean with a toothbrush and a bit of alcohol. I haven't personally had any problems with the sealing rings in my blocks but it maybe prudent (depending on age) to see if you can source a replacement from EKWB, give their support a nudge. I probably wouldn't bother until I'd opened it but you never know.

Take a photo of the block for us though to give us a chance identifying it.

 

[BS Dave]

I tend to take mine apart and wash with warm water and fairy liquid. Then I get the brasso out, clean it with that, then do another super duper clean with fairy liquid, then run a bunch of water through it. Then drain.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Not sure I would use brasso (or other abrasive/containing chemicals polish)
Did they buy out duraglit at some point?
Bit random but I remember duraglit from donkeys years ago
Anyway not sure I would use them on
Electroplated nickel over copper
It's probably a very thin nickel coating on there

 

[Sone]

Just done it and made a massive difference.

A quick Prime95 torture was hitting 80. Now 62.

 

[Drumroll]

Apart from the O-Rings, the other important thing to pay attention to is not under or over tightening the screws when putting everything back together. In some blocks, where they use a part to split the water flow, on top of the fin area, make sure it is perpendicular to the way the fins are aligned. One would expect to be only one correct way to fit it, but had blocks before that would allow it to be installed incorrectly.

 

[Sin_Chase]

I've always just used isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush for block cleaning.

If the o-ring needs cleaning then just water and light rub (oooerr!) Then a light coating with silicone grease most of which gets rubbed off before reinstalling.

 

[Sin_Chase]

Not sure I would use brasso (or other abrasive/containing chemicals polish)
Did they buy out duraglit at some point?
Bit random but I remember duraglit from donkeys years ago
Anyway not sure I would use them on
Electroplated nickel over copper
It's probably a very thin nickel coating on there

Super thin. On really old blocks you can see the copper flashing through just from normal use.

 

[BS Dave]

Pretty sure brasso isn't abrasive but I'm happy to be proved wrong. I've always been really careful to remove even a hint of it afterwards. This was on nickel plated copper blocks

 

[Sin_Chase]

Brasso is 100% abrasive. It has to be otherwise it couldn't be classed as a polish.

 

[scarps]

Pretty sure brasso isn't abrasive but I'm happy to be proved wrong. I've always been really careful to remove even a hint of it afterwards. This was on nickel plated copper blocks

Its abrasive but not highly. Says you can use it on more expensive metals etc. It will only wear down metals if used a lot.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Yeah definitely a mild abrasive
Probably ammonia and hydrocarbons/petroleum jelly
In there too along with whatever the abrasive material used is

OK to use on more expensive metals
Yeah that's possible
But what are they defining metals as ?
Compared to something that's electroplated
I would hazard a guess the nickel plating is thin enough
To be measured in units lower than % of mm
Microns or something

 

[Sin_Chase]

The ammonia content wont play very nicely with copper either.

I think they use quartz as the abrasive element.

 

[Finners]

Is the cold plate copper? I've always read that tomato sauce! of all things is good for copper cleaning/polishing. Just give it a good clean after.

 

[Sin_Chase]

Is the cold plate copper? I've always read that tomato sauce! of all things is good for copper cleaning/polishing. Just give it a good clean after.

These days most cold plates are coated, ordinarily nickel.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

The bottom of the cold plate/block
Ie the part that touches the die
May well be copper that's unplated
Other parts especially if acrylic/see through block
Usually nickel plated
Probably because nickel plating stays mostly nice and shiny
Copper tends to tarnish/oxidise/whatever the correct term is
And doesn't look nice and shiny after a while

If its an all copper construction
Wouldn't be worried about using a mild abrasive
since not going to rub away anything except tarnishing