Change CPU with watercooling advice

shadowcreaper

shadowcreaper

shadowcreaper

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29 Jul 2008
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692
Looking to do some upgrades on pc soon and i currently have a watercooled PC which a good friend kindly setup for me:D

But his recently moved away and so i going to have to do the upgrades myself and so looking for some advice from the "pros" :p

I currently have a E8400 CPU S775 with a watercooled setup, and looking to upgrade to a
Intel Core i5-2500K 3.30GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor -
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-368-IN&tool=3

How difficult/tricky will it be to replace the E8400 with the i5, the motherboard i have is a ASUS P5E.

Feel free to ask more questions as im sure i have missed things out.
regards
 
First of all you will need a new socket 1155 motherboard to support the sandybridge cpu you are looking at.

Depending on how the watercooling has been installed you may be able to get away with just unscrewing the cpu block and propping it up out of the way while you swap out the motherboard.

A picture of your current setup would make it easier to give you advice :)
 
As you will have to change the motherboard to upgrade to a 2500k all the watercooling loop will have to come out. Looking at the way it's put together, you may be able to leave it all assembled and take it out in one go without draining the loop down. Unbolt the block from the cpu, unbolt the rads and remove the bay res and it should all come out giving you easy acess to the motherboard.

If your D-Tek Fusion block did'nt come with one you will need to get a adaptor to allow it to fit a 1155 motherboard (1155 and 1156 have the same spacing).
 
pastymuncher is right, the way the loop is installed it would have to come out, and even though it should come out in one piece you would need to make sure you prop it up well and make sure none of the tubes have too much strain on them as there is potential for leaking.
 
just to check, you saying i could take out the watercooling loop, including the bay res, and both fan rads.

If i did it this way id pretty much remove the whole loop from the pc, then somehow have to prop it up outside the case thus leaving me with a PC without watercooling but space to remove the motherboard ect?

if so doesnt the liquid leak from the CPU fusion block once i remove it? or is there a cut off valve?
 
shadowcreaper said:
just to check, you saying i could take out the watercooling loop, including the bay res, and both fan rads.

If i did it this way id pretty much remove the whole loop from the pc, then somehow have to prop it up outside the case thus leaving me with a PC without watercooling but space to remove the motherboard ect?

if so doesnt the liquid leak from the CPU fusion block once i remove it? or is there a cut off valve?
Click to expand...


As it is at the moment it's all sealed. A waterblock is'nt really any different to a cpu heatsink. It has a copper base that contacts the cpu. It has a top (delrin in your case i believe) which is selaed to the base with screws and a O ring. As long as you don't take the block itself apart it can't leak.

***IMPORTANT*** As you will be changing sockets, before you take it all apart make sure your block will fit a different socket. If it can't then you need to buy a new adaptor so that it will. The adaptor you need will be to fit socket 1155/1156. It's no good taking it all apart and then finding that the block does'nt fit the new motherboard.
 
Krony said:
No liquid toutches the actual cpu, it runs through the block.
Click to expand...

i knew that;) i just wasnt sure if it was possible to remove the watercooling loop without it leaking that was my main concern tbh.

out of interest is there any tips you can give for when i do remove the watercooling loop and install new motherboard/CPU/GPU?

I know il have to remove the cpu fusion block first then i guess it doesnt matter which order i remove the rest of the loop...?
 
In your set up the way i would do it is:-

1. Make sure the pump is'nt bolted down. If it is undo the bolts so that it is loose.
2.Undo the screws holding the bay res in the slot but do not remove the res yet.
3. Remove the rear rad and swing it out of the way. This should give you some more room to remove the cpu block.
4. Unbolt and remove the CPU block.
5. Remove the top rad.
6. Slide the bay res out and you should be clear.

You have a big problem though. I just had a look around all the specialist watercooling shops and it appears that your D-Tek Fusion shipped with a bracket to only fit a single socket. In your case socket 775. None of them have any upgrade brackets for your block. If you can't find one on the bay or even try D-Tek themselves you are going to need a new block which would mean draining down the loop.
 
pastymuncher said:
You have a big problem though. I just had a look around all the specialist watercooling shops and it appears that your D-Tek Fusion shipped with a bracket to only fit a single socket. In your case socket 775. None of them have any upgrade brackets for your block. If you can't find one on the bay or even try D-Tek themselves you are going to need a new block which would mean draining down the loop.
Click to expand...

I noticed that, i putting the upgrade on hold untill i can get hold of everything i will need for the upgrade,including tools/parts which i might need.

personally id rather not drain the loop as the liquid even though a few years old by now is in very good order from the looks with no "green" in the tubes ect.

also seems pointless buying a new cpu block as feels like a waste, if all fails il just have to buy new graphics card see how e8400 runs and if need be upgrade to a q6950 instead.
 
Upgrading to a Q9650 would be a waste. They are stupidly overpriced now and will leave you no upgrade path at all.

Your block is one of the most restrictive blocks ever sold and if you can't get a bracket bite the bullet and buy a new block. It's not hard to drain the loop and swap the block. All you would have to do is take the loop out as described above, take it to a sink. Undo the jubilee clips at the block and pull the hoses off. If it has 7/16" hose over 1/2" barbs then they will have to be cut off at the barb. Fit the new block and refill the loop. At least with it being able to be removed from the pc you can easily leak test and bleed the loop. After all this time your fluid could do with changing anyway.


***Edit*** Just found D-Teks email address for you. If you drop a line to [email protected] stating which version of the block you have and ask them if they will sell you a 1156 fitting kit for it. You never know, they may let you have one for free.
 
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^^ cheers, allready found the email just as i was reading this;)

its interesting how everyone got different views, some i have spoken to have said that i might as well stick with e8400 and stick a 6870 card into pc see how it runs and most likely bf3 will run fine.

if not, out of interest what CPU block would i have to get and if so liquid/tools i need to do a full replacement drain ect?(would i need a new hose too if i cutting it off the old CPU block?)

cheers
 
The EK Supreme HF (fit's all current sockets both Intel and AMD) is just about the best block available. A cheaper version the Supreme LTX (fits Intel 775/1155/1156/1366) is also quite good. I would avoid the Heatkiller range simply because they only fit a single socket and you will end up with the same problem the next time you upgrade.

For fluid use de-ionised/distilled water (battery top up fluid from Halfords). It's around £4 for 5 Ltrs along with a additive such as Primochill Liquid Utopia. I use this combination and have had no problems at all.

If your tubing is 1/2" you won't have to cut it and should just be able to pull it off. This way you would'nt need any new tubing. If it's 7/16" over 1/2" barbs there is no way you will be able to pull it off and would need to cut it flush with the end of the barb. You may need to replace the tubing from the rear rad to the block but the one from the top rad to the block looks like it has enough slack to make up for the 1" or so that would be cut off.

The only tools you should need are a screwdriver and a sharp knife such as a stanley knife or craft knife. You would need a spanner or pair of pliers to do up the barbs if replacing the block.
 
thanks for the advice by the way it very helpfull.

Been looking around and have found quite a few of those blocks you suggested, seems they each have their own subdivision of different blocks within the main 2.:rolleyes:

Is this the sort of block you mean
[
Then for the more exspencive one there a lot of differnet ones as you can see here:

Just to check, tools wise ect,
i believe most of the motherboard/graphics boards are put in place with thumb screws thankfully but do i need a anti static map/anti static wrist thingy if i putting this all together( i think il put it all together inside the case rather than outside first then trying to sit it in place?) as im never sure how much static actually plays in pc building.

cheers.(still havnt heard from D-Tek yet, figners crossed):)
 
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I would remove those links if i were you. ;)

I have the delrin top Supreme HF (all black). To be honest the top is'nt going to make much difference to the temps. The only gain would be from the nickel and full copper ones but even then it would be tiny. Personally i don't like plexi tops as it's too easy to crack them when tightening the barbs up.

You will have 9 screws to hold the motherboard down all of which are probably a phillips/posi head screw. When fitting the new board do not overtighten them as just a pinch is all that it required. You should'nt have to move any of the motherboard standoffs as the new board should have them in the same place.

First step (after removing the loop) would be to remove the graphics card and any other add on cards.

Next undo all the power/usb/sound/sata/front panel wires from the mobo. Just tuck them out of the way, no need to remove them completely.

Then undo the screws holding the mobo down. Remove the mobo and put it to one side. If you have the original packaging then you should have the anti-static bags for everything. Remove the rear I/O shield as the new board will need a different one.

Remove the cpu from the mobo, clean it up and place it in it's packaging. Place the black slot protector over the mobo's cpu socket to prevent any damage and pack it all up.

Now would be a good time to have a clean out of any dust in the case.

Now to put the new board in.

Take the socket protector off the new board and insert the new cpu the correct way around, there should be a little arrow in one corner of the socket which lines up with the gold arrow on the cpu. It's easier to do this now than when the boards in the case.

Fit the new I/O shield to the case.

Fit the new mobo and make sure the holes line up with the standoffs then screw it down. Just a pinch remember.

Connect up all your cables and power plugs etc. The cables for the case should have a little arrow or triangle on the plugs. This means positive (+) and should be put the right way around. See your new mobo's manual for the correct layout.

You can now put your graphics card and any other cards back in.

You are ready to stick your loop back in now.

The only difference would be if your case (what one is it?) does'nt have a rear cutout on the motherboard tray to access the backplate for the waterblock. We can sort that out if the problem comes up. Hopefully your case has the cutout.

I never use a anti static wrist strap and have never killed a component yet. Just make sure you do the build on a table or something similar. Don't go doing it on a carpet and don't take the components out until you are ready for them. Placing them on their cardboard boxes would be ok but don't knock them over.
 
thanks for the advice, case is a hiper anubis, i personally like it as it isnt OMG TJ big nor is it tiny so it suits me quite well, but i believe i can remove the back of the motherboard side as i can the front.

and i wont be doing this on the carpet in my pictures...i may be IT stupid but i ant stupid:)
 
I did'nt try to make out you were stupid so sorry if it came across that way. The thing is we have seen people build on a carpet and then post on here wondering why their new pc is broken.


Anyway, just looked your case up and the motherboard tray does'nt have a cut-out to access the cpu block backplate. This is going to complicate things a bit. To remove the cpu block the motherboard is going to have to come out with it still attached.

1. Remove the loop as described above but leave the cpu block in place. Do this in the kitchen as you are going to have to drain the loop down.

2. Find the furthest component awya from the pc (probably one of the rads) and remove or cut the tubing from the barbs. Let the fluid drain down the sink. You can make sure all the fluid is out by blowing down one piece of tubing while holding the other over the sink.

3. Remove or cut the tubing at the barbs on the cpu block and get the loop out of the way.

4. Remove the mobo as detailed above.

5. Now you will have access to the backplate and be able to remove the block.

When you fit the new block or if they send you a bracket for this one, fit the block to the motherboard but leave the tubing until the board is fitted to the case. When everything is back together you can connect the tubing.
 
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