My temps are kinda stinky... help me, i'm a noob!

Hey guys, this is my first post in the forum, although i've been reading it almost every day for a couple of months. Anyway, i finished setting up my watercooling (after weeks of hardships and problems), and i'm getting temps. that are kinda below my liking..

Heres what i got in there:

D4 12V Pump
DD TDX CPU Block
BIX Rad
Modded 5 1/2 Reservoir (shortened in length)
SilverProp Cyclone Fusion HL

I'm runnin an Athlon 64 3200+ (2.2 Ghz) at 2.53 ghz at 1.6 volts. My Vid card is an ATI Radeon 9800XT.

Before watercooling, i would be getting idle temps of around 41 degrees C on my CPU, stock. And about 70 degrees C on my vid card in idle, stock as well. I installed the cooling last night and my vid card was getting crazy temps around 80 degrees, so i went out an bought some nuts and washers and tightened the block down to the card tighter, and now it reads about 53 degrees celcius, idle, stock. My CPU in idle is now around 34-35 degrees celcius.

I know its an improvement from the temperatures without cooling, but shouldnt it be better? I mean, i read people that get their video cards down to about 30 degrees celcius, and that's at full load. I know i got enough grease on the cpu and gpu, could it be that the radiator is too small to cool both blocks?? I dont really have enough room in my case for another radiator, or a bigger one, its a tight enough fit with the current setup.

If anyone has any suggestions, comments, help, anything i'd be most grateful.

PS. Please dont lash out too harshly if i did somethin wrong, i'm a noob.

given the 2 blocks, and the size of the Rad, id say you doing fine...

PS dont believe everything you read

o-ya, almost forgot...WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!!!

I would agree. the BIX will be your biggest setback at the moment. It's not awful, but for a 2 block setup with overclocking, I'd say your temps are just fine. If you want better temps, I'd suggest spending $20 and getting a Fedco 2-342 Heater Core, or a Bonneville 77'-87' Heater core. Both are great and don't require modifications if you just cut the tubes and stretch the tubing over the ends (which can be done by sticking the tube ends in boiling water).

Welcome, and don't be discouraged!

perhaps if you post a picture of your case somebody here could give you suggestions on putting another heatercore in there

I'll post a couple of pics when my dad gets home later on today with his camera. Question, is the Fedco 2-342 Heater Core and the Bonneville 77'-87' Heater core the same size as the BIX? one 120mm fan on it?

And if i were to replace my BIX with either one of those heatercores, would i see much improved performance, or just a degree or two?

I think they are duel 120mm heatercores, (I may be wrong) but you can get single 120mm heatercores like this one at dangerden http://www.dangerden.com/mall/Radiators/heatercore.asp

Heres a pic of the setup, and another of the rad.

I dont really have room on the rear 120mm fan, and i dont want to go outside my case. hehe.

heres a pic of my heatercore at the front and with the bix at the back just to give you an idea of what you can do.
http://www.ocforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30931

cracker1082 said:

I'll post a couple of pics when my dad gets home later on today with his camera. Question, is the Fedco 2-342 Heater Core and the Bonneville 77'-87' Heater core the same size as the BIX? one 120mm fan on it?

And if i were to replace my BIX with either one of those heatercores, would i see much improved performance, or just a degree or two?

Click to expand...

They're dual 120 cores... Can't say what drop in temp you'd get though. I'd guess ~5c, but that purely a guess.

BTW, the '86 Chevette heater core is a single 120mm core and should perform better than your BIX.

ukdan said:

heres a pic of my heatercore at the front and with the bix at the back just to give you an idea of what you can do.
http://www.ocforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30931

Click to expand...

I wish i could, but i dont have enough room to put another radiator in the back fan. The top of the radiator hits the bottom of the power supply and doesnt go in properly, and i dont really wanna mod my case anymore at the moment.