GPU block + Stock HS?

[faster3200]

Hi guys. I have two GTX570s I would like to cool but the price of two full cover waterblocks is a bit more tan I would like. I know it has been done before on other cards but would I be able to mod my stock gpu heatsink to cool everything but the gpu and then get a MCW82 or EK-VGA just for that? Also, if it is possible how does it compare to a more traditional approach such as full cover blocks, Swiftech Unisink, individual sinks, etc.?

[bds71]

the 570's are good OCers. with WC on the GPU you should be able to get a decent frequency boost, but with stock cooling on the VRMs you may not be able to boost the voltage as much (that is an advantage of the full cover block). you could still get a decent OC, just not as much as you would by WCing the VRMs as well (maybe - depends on your particular card/chips) - same thing applies to cooling the RAM chips and OCing the RAM freq.

[faster3200]

So are you saying it is possible? I figured those would be the drawbacks vs. full-cover.

The main reason I am asking is because with my SLI setup the top card has barely any room for air and idling with stock clocks will get to 63C+ with the fan at ~50%, so as you can guess it is quite loud. The OCing I managed on air as a single card was fine enough for me so I'm not looking to increase the power bill too much.

[faster3200]

I found a youtube video of the GTX580 stock cooler removal, here is a relevant picture.


I assume the GTX580 and GTX570 have the same stock cooler. It looks like this won't work in my case unless the block size and gpu size are the same, which seems unlikely or I sand the stock sink down.

[Utnorris]

I did this on two GTX480's and it actually worked great. I modded the stock shroud to still push air over the stock heat sink. However, in the end I just got the Swiftech sinks for the GTX480's, the performance was the same, but I didn't have a fan running pushing air across the heat sink, so less noise. Just as a comparison, I had an EK FC WB for one of the GTX480's and the temps, even on the memory and VRM's were pretty close if not the same.

[dasa]

fairly sure gtx570 vrm have a habit of going up in a puff of smoke with stock cooling and im not sure how much improved cooling helps to stop this
as above i to am using gtx480 with gpu blocks the mcw60 i have had used on a number of cards since the x1900xtx so they are great value
with the stock gpu plate and a 120mm fan it has been fine running over 900mhz with a fair bit of extra v
but the gtx480 are known for having a much tougher vrm than gtx570 or even gtx580

[pby5cat]

I wonder if u can get the water block to mate to the GPU and the stock heat spreder plate?

[bds71]

would I be able to mod my stock gpu heatsink to cool everything but the gpu and then get a MCW82 or EK-VGA just for that?

So are you saying it is possible?

hehe, i purposely didn't answer that part - in the hopes someone else might. i can't say for certain as i don't own one. i was basing what i said off of reviews i've read and the general behavior i have read about for these cards. as to whether it can be done, i would say this: i've seen a LOT of things that modders have done around this website (some fantastic stuff really). if you got a mind to do this, i would say it **could** be done. as others have already stated, they have done similar things with the 400 series cards that you want to do. where there's a will....i'm sure someone could find a way

[Conumdrum]

You prolly could cut the HS so there is room for the MCW82, and leave the rest stock. Fan and all. I saw a pic here or at OCF (my home) where the guy pretty much did that and put the covers back on and cut holes for the hoses. But he kept the stock fan and was able to dial back the speed a lot. So it was a win situation.

No specifics though.

Methink the MCW82 is a great way to go long term. Still think good copper sinks and some sekisui thermal tape TTape with good airflow will work. They can be removed and go back to air cooling for a sale for next upgrade.......

570's yea, but some 580's I have heard go poof without AWESOME cooling on air. And one wasn't overclocked.

[s002wjh]

this was done on gtx470, but it look like 570 is about the same

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...Swiftech-MCW80

also for ek vga supreme, i don't need any mod on the stock HS. only the one with bigger base need it such as mcw82

[faster3200]

this was done on gtx470, but it look like 570 is about the same

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...Swiftech-MCW80

also for ek vga supreme, i don't need any mod on the stock HS. only the one with bigger base need it such as mcw82

Thanks for that link. Did you just drill out the stand-offs?

[s002wjh]

for my gtx 470, only the mcw82 need some mod, the ek vga supreme has smaller base so no mod was needed.
for mcw82, you need use a dremel to grind the stand into a flat surface so the base of block can seated on top of GPU.

i use dremel w/grinding stone, take about few mins to grind those stand to flat.

do not use drill it might punch through PCB.

[faster3200]

In the thread you linked me to you said:

Here is a picture of the standoffs that needed to be removed:
(I didn't have a picture of it, so I am borrowing a picture from Factotum's thread, here: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=251718)

So I was wondering how it was that you removed them.

Edit: After rereading it seems like you just grinded them down, correct? Did you do it while it was still attached to the PCB? I just assumed you would remove it.

[pby5cat]

So you have SLI, have u seen the new SLI bridge fro he EK blocks?



http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...Bridge-edition

[faster3200]

So you have SLI, have u seen the new SLI bridge fro he EK blocks?



http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...Bridge-edition

I have... that doesn't really answer the question at all.