Have I got a dodgy EK block?

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25 Jan 2012
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282
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Wirral, Merseyside
Basically, I bought the 240 EK kit LTX and it was great to setup really easy, temperatures initially seemed fine (I had forgot what they were at stock) I put my clock settings to what they were when I had my H100 and suddenly I'm seeing really odd temperatures. Jumping from 32 to 49 in a split second... I kept examining my loop but it was dull light. I waited till the next day and what I noticed was that my liquid was only flowing through around 10/20% of the actual EK SUPREME LTX block.

I fitted the Intel stock cooler that comes with the 3570K and I shockingly saw better idle temperatures and load temps... both OC and stock. So referring to the image below... I thought odd the water should be flowing through the middle as well but being yellow it was odd to see with your bare eyes.

What my block looked like before I removed it from the loop
noflow.jpg

After removing it I quickly browsed the laminated manual and saw a step to step guide to taking the block apart, I followed it without even noticing there was a warranty sticker, I just looked at the pretty pictures in the manual. Cleaned it under hot running water (the copper block) and dried it and made sure there was no debris, as I was cleaning it I found the sticker and sighed... carried on anyway and put it back together, as I have the amazing ability to thread hex bolts I ultimately stripped one but as I have done this numerous times I ended turning the bolt head into a flat head using a saw (madness).
it looked exactly how it looked from the first image.

So took it apart again and did everything again, thoroughly cleaned it and this time I only put the CPU block/res/pump into the loop and ran that to see if the pressure would do anything and this is what I got...

IMG_20120530_00044.jpg

Exactly the same, I didn't contact EK until after I took it apart the first time at that point the guy said it looks like there is some fluid bypassing the seal as you can see the rest of the block is yellow... this was the case when I first put the kit together, so that suggests the seal was **** from the get go.

I just don't understand why the fluid refuses to flow through the middle of this block though? I've been running it for an hour or so just with the pump/res/block connected to my PSU on my floor and I haven't see any progress. So as far as I can tell the block was **** from the beginning and me dismantling it hasn't improved it in anyway.

Is there something that I am missing, have I done something wrong? Both seals look to be pressed against the perspex sufficiently to "seal" and the block definitely doesn't leak at all. I got so frustrated I was on the phone to OCUK sales department about to order a brand new block and to chuck this one since EK won't want to deal with it (Due to warranty voiding) but due to the fact the sales rep said it wouldn't make it by tomorrow I decided to give myself time to find another solution... so I came so close to ordering the HF Supreme Full Nickel one.

Or should I avoid EK and possibly try another brand? I don't want to sound harsh but if this is a sign the block was poorly constructed in the first place I don't really want to risk buying another block and finding out I have to RMA because its poorly constructed again.

If you think I should go for another block/brand can you please suggest something that will be compatible with the rest of the EK 240 LTX kit, thanks in advanced.

(The rest of the kit seems really high quality, really impressed with it just disappointed with this CPU block failing to perform what so ever.)

EDIT:

Oddly, the more I look at the block the less it looks like the liquid is leaking through to the flat part of the copper, it looks more like the reflection from the flash and the highly reflective copper than it actually being trapped there. The copper looks immaculate with my eyes, so it doesn't even look like it is bypassing the copper fins, it just decides it doesn't want to go through the middle.
 
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pics dont work

Odd, using postimage seems to be hit or miss. I've shown a few people images and I would say 1/5 people say they never load for them :\


Before

mslxjm.jpg

After

25k08lt.jpg

Do mean the water isn't suppose to flow through the centre of the block? Its seems hard for the camera to pick it up but on the first picture (the before I did any dismantling) inside that black box there is absolutely no fluid there. It would seem a bit odd to me not to cool the centre of the block?

EK said try their liquid (their liquid is a dye + DI water) but I don't have any on or near me... I'm tempted to just run tap water with some dye and see if that makes a difference, just incase the liquid is what is restricting the flow but it wouldn't explain why it happily goes through 10 or so of the channels.
 
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Lol they say try their liquid because they want you to give them more money.

Look at the youtube link I posted above, it seems the block is meant to be that way.


Edit - nevermind, I see what you mean now
 
Lol they say try their liquid because they want you to give them more money.

Look at the youtube link I posted above, it seems the block is meant to be that way.


Edit - nevermind, I see what you mean now

Yep the first thing that sprung to my head when I saw that as a response from EK. However I assume the block isn't suppose to be like this? I'm going to give it a bash with the blue dye and tap water to see if it actually flows.

If it doesn't I can't do anything other than chuck the block out as it is a dud and since I voided the warranty I can't get any support.

Just did it, blue dye is going down the exact same places the yellow mayhem went... possibly confirming it was a block of **** from day one? I've taken this apart three times so are there any recommendations then for a CPU block? Preferably want to avoid EK CPU blocks if possible whilst remaining compatible with the kit I have. The frustrating thing is I haven't found a single post yet on this forum or anywhere on the magic google search page in which someone has a similar problem with an EK block.
 
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Yep the first thing that sprung to my head when I saw that as a response from EK. However I assume the block isn't suppose to be like this? I'm going to give it a bash with the blue dye and tap water to see if it actually flows.

If it doesn't I can't do anything other than chuck the block out as it is a dud and since I voided the warranty I can't get any support.

I'm having problems with an ek block myself which I got a few days ago. Spent around 200 pounds on parts to find I was sent a used block covered in scratches which had no warranty sticker on it. Had my loop filled before I noticed so I'm after wasting all my coolant and now have useless parts just sitting here waiting for a response from the supplier :(
 
If I hadn't of threaded the bolt I would have just said to EK, hey look this block isn't working properly and it didn't come with a warranty sticker, sort it. Though it looks a bit obvious that I've opened the block when one of the hex bolts is converted to flathead. It's a shame this kit has been let down by hte most crucial part, I was singing its praises on day one... haha

Blown about 3/4 of this bottle of mayhem fluid though, £10 down the drain... quite literally.

I just asked EK on my support ticket, which I've had numerous responses on... tried a pump/cpu block only loop with your specified choice of liquid same results as the mayhem fluid, proving the block was dodgy from the start. Will you provide me with any further support regarding this block or shall I replace it? If so can you recommend me a replacement block, preferably not an EK one.
 
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I'm going to have to bite my lip when I say this... I just went back into my study room where the loop is still running on the floor and I see that the blue liquid is now flowing through the centre of the block...

...could this mean that the Mayhem Pastel Yellow is the problem and that it isn't suitable for this kit? I feel sorry for my mean spirited message to EK now...
 
I took the flash off so you can see it easier, but with bare eyes it is clearly noticeable.

2r3fbdj.jpg
,

initially it didn't flow down there but giving it an extra 20 mins seems to have made it go through...

Now does anyone know if Tesco sells DI water? The only place that is open this time of night haha. I really wanted yellow because on my black case and Sabertooth Z77 it stands out but blue is going to make the PC look just as dull as it did with the H100.
 
yes tesco sell it


Heh just been to get some DI water (5L of... I need it for a CO2 test in my fish tanks as well... and it always good to have some spare!)

as well as a pizza of course.

Edit: Setting up the loop in a minute, I'm like an owl these days and the pizza was great. Unfortunately the pastel yellow has stained the clear hoses within 2 days, I guess I'll just go for this liquid setup as it seems to be working at the moment and invest in some white PVC hoses when I get free postage... another 64 posts to go!
 
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All the pastel colour will stain because they use a lot of dye but it should just wipe off all so its a nano fluid so will get into every thing. If you going to use pastel it is ment for long term use 2+ years so chaining out you tubing seems a bit pointless.

P.s All the pastel colour have been tested on over 13 different types of blocks (weve sold over 5,000+ Ltrs of this with no complaints) and it works with every thing the partial size is 40 to 60nm so unless you can get channels smaller than that i doubt it. All so they don't clog so again i doubt it.
 
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If I remember right the seal for the waterblock is for EK covering leaks of the blocks not other flaws. So even if you have removed the seal if the fault is something else they should still help.

What pump are you using? Could be it doesn't have enough pressure to push the coolant maybe. Although I doubt that could be it.
 
How many times have you had the block actually on the cpu in order to test temps? Just the once? My gut feeling is that it may have been a mounting issue rather than a faulty block, and the appearance of the flow has been a red herring. However, if you have had the block on the mobo more than once and it's done the same then that would kind of rule that out.
 
Warranty sticker is just to confirm EK have tested it for leaks and warranted for Leaks!
Even if you remove that sticker, that shouldn't invalidate the warranty on the product itself.
Stripping Hex keys is not alien to EK, I have stripped 2 in the past and have even got replacements from EK and Koolance(I just had to pay postage). I asked for the correct size of the thread and ordered some from the famous auction site, as I couldn't wait for 5 days.
 
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