[SOLVED] Either GPU or AIO leaking. Thoughts?

[Blacksad999]

Hey, all.

So, the other day, noticed some liquid residue on the inside of my case. (Corsair Crystal 280x, so side is glass.) Opened it up to clean it, and some fluid has spattered quite a bit due to hitting one or two of the fans. Cleaned it up with alcohol with no issue, but of course it's a bit worrying. I've read that GPU's can sometimes leak fluid from the thermal pads and such, and that it isn't harmful. However, I've had this GPU for about 18 months. (Zotac 2060) Everything cleaned up and is working fine.

I recently did a new build, and the only parts I migrated over were one SSD for backup storage and the GPU. In my previous case (Corsair 250D), the GPU was vertically oriented, and I never saw any leaking or fluid. I've read that grease/oil/thermal paste can migrate when changing orientation of the GPU.

It obviously has hit the GPU as the bottom of it had a fair amount, as well as the intake fan underneath that corner as well. It looks like whatever it is dripped from the GPU onto the fan, and the fan blew it around that area of the case. A concern was that there was a little bit on the radiator as well, and I can't discern if it got shot up there onto the top of the case, or if that is where the fluid is coming from and dropping onto the GPU below and seeping through the fans, and then onto the bottom fans.

The fluid is a lightish yellow in color, a little thick. Smells a bit like oil.

Any thoughts or advice? Obviously I'm watching it like a hawk, but wasn't sure if I should just return my AIO (Which is new) or try and return my GPU (18 months old).

Edit: AIO is Corsair H100i RBG Platinum

Photos if I can link them:


View: https://imgur.com/pojy6A8



View: https://imgur.com/F4mn46O



View: https://imgur.com/NSDr335

 

[Ralston18]

First you must find the source of the leak.

Clean up as much as you can and keep looking using a bright flashlight and mirrors.

The overall risk (rather you are watching or not) is that a small leak suddenly becomes a big leak.

My advice is to take it all apart and see what, if anything, you can find.

Separate the components. Fill with water and let them sit for a few days on a paper towel.

Change orientation or otherwise move each one about to hopefully locate the location of the leak.

Or at least discover which one is leaking.

 

[Phaaze88]

Your AIO has a leak.

The worst that the oil from the gpu and motherboard thermal pads do is just leave brown, dark, or reddish stains, and those can be rubbed out with some alcohol and elbow grease.