Question GPU making ticking sound after fan speed hits certain %

[Danbo976]

have an MSI RTX 3070ti, was playing a game with volume off just now, noticed a fast ticking sound. isolated the sound to the GPU fans, have a custom fan profile with MSI afterburn, lowered the fan curve very slightly, from about 60% to 54% and the sound vanishes, when i raise the curve over 55% the ticking noise occurs. Anyone know whats going on here?
Thanks,
Dan

 

[Jason H.]

have an MSI RTX 3070ti, was playing a game with volume off just now, noticed a fast ticking sound. isolated the sound to the GPU fans, have a custom fan profile with MSI afterburn, lowered the fan curve very slightly, from about 60% to 54% and the sound vanishes, when i raise the curve over 55% the ticking noise occurs. Anyone know whats going on here?
Thanks,
Dan

How long have you had the gpu?

Sounds like a failing fan bearing.

 

[Danbo976]

How long have you had the gpu?

Sounds like a failing fan bearing.

little under 1 year, for now the sound doesnt occur due to slightly lowering the fan curve, still getting same temps so really no big deal. Just not sure why this would happen to a fairly new gpu
Does this typically get worse over time? (noise begins under a lower fan speed and so forth etc)

 

[Jason H.]

little under 1 year, for now the sound doesnt occur due to slightly lowering the fan curve, still getting same temps so really no big deal. Just not sure why this would happen to a fairly new gpu
Does this typically get worse over time? (noise begins under a lower fan speed and so forth etc)

I had the opposite issue on a 2060 super. I would hear a ticking at lower speeds and then it would go away as it got higher. The ticking would happen anywhere from 1-25% fan speed so I had to set a custom curve to 26% on idle.

It remained there for 3 years and never got worse. Temps never went downhill.

Sometimes the lubrication in the bearings isnt the best and some noise can occur at varying different speeds. Unfortunately for you, its while under load which is probably what your pc is doing majority of the time your on it.

I cant guarentee things wont get worse from here but I can say that it will more than likely be fine for the majority of the life of the gpu.. it would just be annoying if its loud enough.

You could always attempt to replace the fan that ticks. Its pretty easy to replace gpu fans. at least it was about 5 years ago when I did it on a 1060

I had some ticking on my left fan and replacing it solved the issue.

You could always try adding a little oil into the fan as well. Just a drop or 2, nothing crazy.

 

[Avro Arrow]

It might just be something as simple as an out-of route wire or a little plastic burr that gets into the fan blades like a noisemaker on a kid's bicycle wheel because of an imperfect stamping of a plastic part.

It's clearly nothing major because, as you've said, you've had the card for a long time and it hasn't caused any major issues. My guess is that the fan is just coming into contact with something minor and making noise with it.