Custom loop i7-7700k Thermal Issues

[matyounatan]

Hello,

Ever since I built my new gaming rig I've been having thermal issues with my processor. I'm running a 1080Ti EK waterblock and a Z270E Monoblock in a custom loop with the radiator mounted at the top of my case.

Picture of the monoblock: http://

My issue is that when playing games like Elder Scrolls Online or running synthetic benchmarks, after about 10-20 minutes my CPU temps can rise all the way to 85C+!! One time hitting 90C! I know these are not normal temperatures especially for watercooling and having no overclock.

This doesn't make sense because at idle my temps stay around 31-33C but the moment I open an application like Adobe Premiere they spike to ~56C and then when I'm gaming they hit around 80-85C

Things I've tried:
Flush the loop and clean the block with distilled water
Reapplied the thermal paste
Set my voltage manually to 1.200

And I still hit ridiculously high temperatures, I'm at a loss. Any insight would be helpful.

 

[matyounatan]

This is kinda crazy....

I've gotta ask a few questions throughout this.

...

So the pump seems fine, it's always running at 100% at this point so I can rule that out (I hope lol, well see as I further diagnose everything else)

At one point I let all the fans run at 100% RPM, nothing changed with my temp situation (still reached around 88-92 playing BF1/Fallout 4).

Today I'm going to take apart my loop again, is there anything I should check in regards with the block? (ie how to know if something is clogging it or not, and should I risk taking the monoblock apart and cleaning it before putting it back in?)

I've also run the system with the GPU off at one point, and my temps can still hit above 80.

In regards to the synthetic benchmarks I used the latest prime 95 and various other benchmarks (If you have a certain one in mind ill be happy to run it again and report results) like cinebench. My temps can still climb 75+ when the GPU has 0 load and the CPU has 100% load. (prime usually brings it above 80 regularly).

I'm thinking that re doing the tubing wouldn't really change much if the temps are this bad imo, but at the end of summer I'm def. adding a second rad to this rig.

 

[marko55]

Prime 95 versions past v266 put over-volt the CPU making their results very very high. I use 266 personally if you can find that. However, if a tool like Cinebench or ROB Realbench or Aida 64 are also making the CPU reach upwards of 90c you're just not getting cooled properly (at stock CPU clock anyway). Not to mention just gaming, with your CPU at stock speed, should not be reaching those temps.

I've heard of CPU blocks coming out of the factory warped before which can cause them to not make good contact hence not cooling properly. When you take your CPU block back off lay it on a couple of the flattest surfaces you've got and see if it seems flat on that surface with no wiggling whatsoever.

Honestly, given everything that's been covered here I don't know how it can't be the CPU block at this point unless your CPU is flat out bad. Still the only way to be absolutely sure will be to get the CPU on its own dedicated cooler to see what it reaches temp-wise at stock clock speed.

 

[matyounatan]

So I ran some benchmarks,

Prime95 version 266 (blend): max core temp: 89C, max package temp: 89C

Realbench Benchmark mode: max core 84C, max package 86C

Cinebench R15 CPU test: ~80C on all cores, hitting a max package of 84C.

Any time I'm gaming, I usually can hit upwards of 89-93C.

I'm going to take apart my rig now, clean the CPU block (using a tooth brush lol) and check it for warps.
I'll also throw on an air cooler and boot the system if i can, and run the same tests.

 

[matyounatan]

I just took apart my monoblock, here are some pics:

http://imgur.com/a/i6wVx

idk if its just me but does that look dirty? specifically the channels, theres a blue tint mixed with a suble brown.

I wiped the area around the channels on the nickel plate with a paper towel and well some yellowish stuff came off on my paper towel.

 

[Brett_Uk]

1: check all bends for flow restrictions.
2: check block for flatness.
3: take a pic of the paste on the cpu and block wen u remove it.
4: while it's apart check the tube I said about before.
5: also check the pads used under the block and also make sure there not to thick .
Good luck hope you find the issue

 

[marko55]

Does look a little funky. Just be careful in regards to any chemicals on Nickel: https://www.ekwb.com/blog/how-to-clean-water-blocks/

 

[Brett_Uk]

Silly question ? The clear film was removed from the monoblock before it was mounted ? Lol have to ask

 

[matyounatan]

Silly question ? The clear film was removed from the monoblock before it was mounted ? Lol have to ask

i did haha

Here is a pic of the thermal paste the second time i removed the block (today was the fourth?) imgur
this time there was less compound but the same kind of mark at the top from when i removed it, so im thinking compared to the bottom, the top of this block doesnt sit well on the CPU.

I'll add an extra washer to the blocks screws on the back, hopefully in combination with cleaning this block and the washers my temps will go down.

UPDATE

here is the cleaned channel peice: http://imgur.com/a/B25wD

 

[marko55]

I'd push to RMA that block immediately. Don't even waste your time putting it back on. You're just gonna have to drain and rebuild your loop again!

If you add washers it may move pressure elsewhere but its still not gonna be even. After everything that's been discussed its almost GOT to be a problem with that block. Even with poor flow from a little gunk your temps shouldn't be as high as they are. However, a block that's not evenly covering your CPU would definitely.

 

[Brett_Uk]

Are you 100% sure the block was put on straight and level, yes you may have a warped block but it's not very lickley, could you put some compound on a thick flat pice of glass and put the monoblock onto it to see if it's pushing the paste all around and flat and it's not the install that's making it sit up at the top, have you made sure it's not hitting anythink which is holding it up a little ? Not saying u can't do it proply lol

 

[matyounatan]

I'd push to RMA that block immediately. Don't even waste your time putting it back on. You're just gonna have to drain and rebuild your loop again!

If you add washers it may move pressure elsewhere but its still not gonna be even. After everything that's been discussed its almost GOT to be a problem with that block. Even with poor flow from a little gunk your temps shouldn't be as high as they are. However, a block that's not evenly covering your CPU would definitely.

At this point I might as well try and see what the temps are now, with the added washers and cleaned block. I don't mind flushing my loop for a fifth time, I think I'm pretty fast at it now lol...

If the temps are the same then 100% I'm going to email EKWB about a replacement block. It does seem like the block doesn't sit right on the CPU.

Is there a rep on this forum that could maybe take a look at this discussion?

 

[Brett_Uk]

I would say double check everything as u go to make sure it's sitting flush with the cpu, make sure there is nothink holding it up, nothink like the vrm pads to thick or somethink sillily like that, make sure when it's tighted down it goes as flush as possiable then have a look all around to see if it's clear of everything, good luck lol

 

[Brett_Uk]

Ask them to send you a normal block to test your system, if the temps go down with a normal block like the supremacy one then it is the monoblock causing the issue

 

[matyounatan]

Numbers don't lie boys and girls, I fixed my problem.

What I did:
1. clean the CPU block
2. pour a new bottle of EK clear fluid instead of reusing the same one the last two drains.
3. added extra washers on the four main screws for the water block (I think this fixed it in combination with cleaning the block)

TEMPS BEFORE:
Prime95 v266 (blend): max core temp: 89C, max package temp: 89C
Realbench Benchmark mode: max core: 84C, max package: 86C
Cinebench R15 CPU test: ~80C core temps, max package 84C

AFTER
Prime95 v266 (blend): max core temp: 68C, max package temp: 70C
Realbench Benchmark mode: max core: 71C, max package: 73C
Cinebench R15 CPU test: ~63C core temps, max package 63C

Prime95 was run for 10 minutes.
Pump was on 100% for all tests.

Maybe the screw holes weren't perfect on my block, I tightened the screws as much as I could with two washers for all four, focusing on the two bottom ones the most. It seemed like the top two holes had better threading, pushing the thermal compound down the processor, so tightening the bottom two first [of course all four in criss-cross] seemed to help.

 

[Brett_Uk]

nice glad its sorted, joys of water loops 😀

 

[matyounatan]

(Fallout makes my CPU hit 85-87 but I'll just keep emailing EK and see if I can get another block, for now tho I'll live with the overall better temps)

 

[marko55]

Much better on the synthetics at least! Are you running at stock speed on the CPU and still hitting 85-87 in Fallout?

 

[matyounatan]

Much better on the synthetics at least! Are you running at stock speed on the CPU and still hitting 85-87 in Fallout?

I have the CPU at stock right now. I have tried reducing the voltage manually to 1.200 but I still get the same issue when playing Fallout. I've requested an RMA with EK so hopefully it goes through (or I might just end up buying a new block myself :/)