OClabs XP Res very noisy!

[combatus]

I replaced my stock DDC3.2 top with the new Overclock Labs XPRes yesterday and while the top looks great it's also made the pump very noisy.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/8821/oclab1ve4.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oclab1ve4.jpg)

I'm using a separate reservoir feeding the inlet on the XPRes and managed to bleed it fairly well by loosening the fillport and using the pressure from the seperate res to force the air out (with the pump off). However the pump is very noisy since fitting the res. It sounds like air in the pump but the noise isn't constant like it is when you've just filled the system which usually dies away after 30 secs. It's almost a machanical sound like something is loose. I've re-seated it once more but it's still the same. :shrug: Anyone got one of these or able to shed some light on what it might be?

[Jamesrt2004]

could post in liquid cooling section?

probably have beter knowledge then the FAQ guidelines :)

[combatus]

Bump! Sorry I have no idea how it ended up in there!

[ArtosDracon]

what color is the impeller on your pump?

[Martinm210]

Try repositioning the top again and try to slide it over to the side a little. You can usually slide them around a little, not much with the OC tops and the pins, but I had two tests where I had some noise trouble on different tops and repositioning fixed it. My last set of test I was very careful to align the top perfectly centered over the impeller by looking down the inlet.

Take a close look at the impeller when starting and make sure it's not lifting off the bearing. I've also seen in one case where at really high flow (no restriction) that the impeller rotates on it's axis enough to impact the top a little.

[combatus]

what color is the impeller on your pump?

Impeller is blue.

Martinm210 - have tried repositioning and suspected top of impeller may have been fouling as you suggested - as a last resport I tried backing off the case screws a tad - no joy, even backed them off till water seeped out! I put the stock top back on and it's silent once again.

Will try a bit more fiddling and report back!

[Martinm210]

Interesting, I have two of the xp-tops sitting here. The blue one I tested didn't have any problems like that, I need to test the black top still just to confirm my performance results, but I didn't get a chance to try out the reservoir.

But what I saw when I had that issue, the impeller was litterally lifting off the ceramic bearing, so you definately don't want to just keep running it that way for long. You might try turning the top a different orientation on the pump bottom too. I noticed with mine that the pump isn't perfect and it was actually helpful with the other tops that didn't force alignment because I could center them up manually.

[combatus]

Very valuable advice, thanks. :D I didn't see evidence of damage and haven't noticed any strange noises and performance is the same so I'm hoping I haven't damaged it. I'll try the things you suggested - didn't try a different orientation so that will be the first thing to try.

[combatus]

Right, I've tried repositioning and this didn't seem to help. but while I was doing it I noticed a cap on the inlet inside the res was loose. On touching it it just came away and I've sinced removed it leaving a large whole in the inlet where before the cap was in place and the inlet just had two side openings? Very odd. Still hasn't made any difference to the noise though.

Interesting thing is here (http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.oclabs.com/particles.php%3Fdocid%3D1329&prev=/search%3Fq%3Doverclocklabs.com%255D%26hl%3Den) the pics don't show this cap and the inlet doesn't have side openings like mine. Perhaps mine is an early revision or something?

I've tried lining it up as best I can (I can actually see the centre of the impeller now the cap has been removed and it appears to line up fine. There is hardly any adjustment to be made though as the res has four plastic pins that slot into the DDC and are screwed in from underneath?

The only things that appear to differ from the stock top are these side entrances to the inlet. Only this and/or the impeller fouling the res base can cause this noise as far as I can see. :confused:

[combatus]

I've taken the top apart to explain what I've found. Here's the inlet cap.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4697/dsc02363nx0.th.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02363nx0.jpg)

Here's the cap being removed

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2554/dsc02365jo4.th.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02365jo4.jpg)

Exposed cap showing the side inlets which appear to be absent on other pics of the top.

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3046/dsc02362iw6.th.jpg (http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02362iw6.jpg)

Pic showing line up of impeller

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/377/dsc02366vn2.th.jpg (http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02366vn2.jpg)

As a last ditched attempt I put some insulating tape round the side inlets blocking them to see if this made any difference - it didn't. At one point I had the pump on lent against the side of my case and noticed that it vibrates slightly when I'm hearing this noise which is once every 2 or 3 seconds. I think the top is going back tomorrow!!! :(