CPU temp pretty high for WC system

[shamgar03]

Alright well, I just upgraded my video card and motherboard. (6800gt => 8800gtx, ASUS A8V => EPOX nforce 4). So I have a water cooling system with a big heatercore and 2 fans on it. However after starting my computer the cpu temperature slowly rises to 55 degrees or so and just sits. I haven't stress tested it yet, but I did re-seat the waterblock and now the temperature stops arount 52C. My video card idles around 55 now. Before I upgraded my processor used to idle at 32 or so and the graphics card would idle at middle 40's. So what do you guys think? My ideas:
-need to re-seat the waterblock again
-pump flow problem?
-radiator fans not high flow enough? (the gtx actually added THAT much heat to the system)
-motherboard just reads high temps?

I did just refill the system after installing the new video card so its possible there is still alot of air bubbles left that are reducing the effectiveness of the water cooling.

Anyway I am going to try to test for some of the stuff I mentioned when I get home, but for now I am sort of looking for possible causes. Thanks

 

[Noubourne]

You have to bleed the loop of bubbles BEFORE you mount it on the CPU.

Or at least before you turn the thing on!!!

If you have air stuck in the block, you'll get wicked high temps. You should not have any bubbles in your loop!

Posting the specs of your loop might also help.

 

[shamgar03]

mcp655 pump
car heatercore
mcw6002 cpu waterblock
dangerden 8800gtx waterblock
T-line fillport

I did bleed the system. There are no visible air pockets in any of the tubes. However I could still hear some water flow when I tilted my radiator. I spend a while trying to get it out and then I just figured it would all come out. Before starting the system I air stopped coming out of the rad, but I am still a bit suspicious of it. Agian there only some very small bubbles in my loop, I didn't mean the large sort that you bleed out.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Feel the air coming from your heatercore. Is it warmer than it usually is? If the water flows from the GTX to the CPU and then to the heatercore, the GTX and its higher temps will be raising the temps of the CPU.

 

[shamgar03]

The water flows cpu->gpu->rad->T->pump but I suppose if I am reaching the limits of my radiator the gpu could be increasing the entire systems temp. I see what you saying though with the temp of the air coming off the rad. The air should be pretty warm if the entire system is getting hot. I am going to trying higher flow fans to see if they change anything.

 

[Eska]

WC is overrated. Only real advantage of WC over air is the noise level.

 

[Noubourne]

Originally posted by: shamgar03
mcp655 pump
car heatercore
mcw6002 cpu waterblock
dangerden 8800gtx waterblock
T-line fillport

I did bleed the system. There are no visible air pockets in any of the tubes. However I could still hear some water flow when I tilted my radiator. I spend a while trying to get it out and then I just figured it would all come out. Before starting the system I air stopped coming out of the rad, but I am still a bit suspicious of it. Agian there only some very small bubbles in my loop, I didn't mean the large sort that you bleed out.

Ahh ok cool. Except for the 6002 that looks like a decent setup. An mcp655 can certainly handle 2 blocks.

The coolest water should be coming off your rad and right onto the CPU. Can't imagine you're saturating that loop with heat with a big rad like that on it, so I would look at possibly some flow restrictions that might be causing poor performance? Or the temps could be flat out wrong. What are you reading them with? Try CoreTemp.

 

[shamgar03]

Yeah going to pick up CoreTemp, see what happens, ill check on flow rate and perhaps some air in the rad. 6002 is actually supposed to be a very good CPU block, just freaken huge.

 

[Ayah]

The 6002 is a piece of $hit. It isn't that good. Maybe for Socket 462 and 478 it was good but not anymore.
With the 655, you should've went with the Storm or Apogee, hell even a TDX would be better probably.

 

[Noubourne]

Originally posted by: Ayah
The 6002 is a piece of $hit. It isn't that good. Maybe for Socket 462 and 478 it was good but not anymore.
With the 655, you should've went with the Storm or Apogee, hell even a TDX would be better probably.

I agree and Apogees are cheap as chips too (not as hard to find as the Storm either!). Based on looks I'll be buying an MP-05 SE w/ the NO3 jet delrin mid-plate for my own loop (not till spring).

I don't think the 6002 would restrict his flow to the point of this low of performance though, would it? Inefficient yes, but mid-50 idle temps? That seems bad for even the worst blocks, considering the rest of his loop. If it was kinked somewhere...

I freely admit my opinions are only informed through reading about watercooling and not direct experience though.

 

[shamgar03]

First of all, I bought the 6002 over a year ago, second of all, in my old configurations I was getting +4 or +8 from room temp on the CPU, so it isn't the block. I did quite a bit of research before I bought my parts and at the time the 6002 was widely considered to be one of the best blocks from reputable reviewers.

I jarred the rad pretty good and a 2 inch bubble game out with coaxing, but I am still watching the temperature slowly rise, though perhaps more slowly than earlier. We'll see.

Edit: Alright so my GPU temp is idling around 45 now and my cpu (according to the mobo software is at 44). Interestingly though coretemp is telling me my core temperature is only 32. I am thinking that the motherboards program must factor in northbridge or some other part of the motherboard.

 

[shamgar03]

Also for your viewing pleasure, just so you guys know...
You will notice that the 6002 has nice flat temperature graph and <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.systemcooling.com/images/reviews/LiquidCooling/Swiftech_Apo
<b">ee/image24big.gif">the flowrate</a> , while not as good as the apogee is still pretty good as well. In both areas it is ahead of the curve so to speak. Anyway, sorry to get defensive, but I did quite a bit of research when I was putting together my stuff so I felt compelled to at least defend my decision. So as I type this the "cpu temperature" according to epox's ghost monitor has finally leveled at 46 and core temp has leveled at 32. Of course my video card is at 44. So it looks like it definitely was the air I had trapped in my rad. Thanks for the help guys