Cleaning XSPC blocks

:(Rhodri:) · 5 Aug 2011 at 08:34

Hey all,

I have an xspc Rasa 750 kit on a 950 i7 and a 5970 which has been running fine but temps have risen quite a lot recently (idols around 40 - 45, Stalker CoP pushes it to 65+). The system was a custom build from not OCUK,and they had used some kind of dye/coolant which I flushed out with several runs of vinegar and distilled mix (been in system for 8/9 months) as it was starting to break down in the reservoir and had stained all the tubing. I also replaced all the tubing at this stage.

I'm now running distilled and a kill coil, but have noticed there's still some stuff gathered in the bottom of the res so thinking it might be time to dismantle and scrub the blocks. I figure the CPU will be easy enough to do, but how hard would the 5970 block be to remove, and most importantly put back on? I'm a bit worried about it as will the thermal pads need to be replaced?

Thanks for the help.

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Edit: didn't realise how cheap you could pick up extra rads, would adding an RX120 or RS240 make a lot of difference to temps?

Edit 2: Added a terrible diagram of current layout.

Krony · 5 Aug 2011 at 13:53

The blocks have O rings or seals, as long as u make sure thoes are properly seated u are ok, as for the thermal pads if u find out what thickness they are u can buy it in sheets fairly cheap.
Asl if u have the space adding another rad will help temps.

:(Rhodri:) · 5 Aug 2011 at 21:41

Ordered an XSPC RX120 along with 4 Gentle Typhoon 1850's so hoping to knock temps down somewhat.

Does it make any odds where in the loop it goes? Easiest would to go:
Res -> CPU -> GPU -> 120rad -> 360rad ->

though I was thinking of doing:

Res-> CPU -> 120rad -> GPU -> 360rad ->

although I guess if temps normalise throughout the loop it won't make any odds anyway.

Think I'm going to dismantle the CPU block for a clean but may skip the GPU as I don't want to have to replace the pads etc.

JonJ678 · 6 Aug 2011 at 00:10

Don't do up the screws too aggressively if the plastic is transparent. It'll crack, then leak, and it's a pain finding a replacement piece of plastic.

I tend to mount gpu blocks with tim instead of pads, don't seem to have mattered much yet. Otherwise I can't see a reason why the pads would fall off the gpu block when you take it off, assuming they're stuck to the block and not to the card.

Doesn't matter in the slightest where you put the radiator. Adding it will probably help a bit.

:(Rhodri:) · 8 Aug 2011 at 21:57

Thanks for the input, well systems all rebuilt with the RX120 in the Phantom along with the rs360 (I'll put some pics up at some point - that is a tight fit), the gentle typhoons haven't turned up yet but already knocked 10 degree's off with my 1200 rpm's after a full clean and with the new rad.

Was time consuming but quite enjoyable - very happy overall