Water cooling the Asus Maximus SE X38

[Talonman]

Both your system are looking killer boy's!! I am jealous, but plan on catching up some day.

Just curious, has anybody lapped the IHS on their NB?

Tal, did your package come today my friend?

I have not seen anybody lap their IHS yet...

No package, it turnes out my Paypal transaction was an unregistered one with EK. I needed to click 'Return to merchant' after completing the Visa/Paypal step. I have contacted Eddy at EK, and am 100% sure now, that my order has been processed.

The up side is that now I will be receiving the new correct ring for the NB to fit the Maximus correctly. I do love that entire idea, and am dwelling on that happy thought, to offset my 27 day little life lesson.

The truth is I was planning on getting a new GTS from EVGA, and then using the 90 day step up program to get a faster card shortly there after. After buying Vista 64 Ultimate, I began dipping into my GPU money a tad. I think now that my build has been posponed this long, I probably will just get the super fast GPU I really wanted right off the bat. No stepup any more. I am hard at work generating more blow money, so I can get exactly what I want with no compromise.

In a twisted way, this delay might have helped me out?

I am going to do my level best, to build the system I always wanted. A NB block that has EK's sexyness, with a correct fit, and mabey a 9 series enthusiast card will now be part of the plan.

I do have my 8600GT if I want to just plug something in there to get up and running. I will have to see how it all works out in the end.

I am back to being in good spirits agan, and my tail has returned to wagging high in the air.

[Darkatom]

I think your going crazey Taloman . I'm sure its going to be worth the wait in the end.

[Talonman]

I am sure it will be! My wife thinks some evil feaver has taken me over, and wont pass until I buy every computer part man has ever made. It is a good thing I keep her well watered and fed or she would be bent out of shape. I will have about 5 grand in my system when it is completed. I have already crossed 4 now withought the GPU.

The GPU is the main event for me, all this has just been backing so far to run the beast of a card Nivida is hard at work making for me....

I just dont know what it is yet???

Good times are a comming...

[Exahertz]

I am sure it will be! My wife thinks some evil feaver has taken me over, and wont pass until I buy every computer part man has ever made

I get the same feeling

I talked to eddy and he sent me a list of blocks that im going to buy.
im just waiting on the funding. Im selling a few old parts like my 7800GS on ebay and I have a feeling that card should (for the most part) pay for all of these:

1x EK-NB S-MAX

1x EK-NB/SB ASUS 3

2x EK-Mosfet ASUS 3a (X38)

All with the 1/2" chromed barbs at $178 total
Cant wait to post my pics of this monster.

[Nate P.]

Just curious, has anybody lapped the IHS on their NB?

Uh, how exactly would you go about doing that? It's attached to the mobo, and well, it doesn't seem at all possible...

Think before you post...

[Webster]

Uh, how exactly would you go about doing that? It's attached to the mobo, and well, it does seem at all possible...

Think before you post...

It does seem at all possible? Think before you post.

I dont have any experience with lapping, and I was just curious. Is that such a crime? Thanks for resolving my question though.

[Nate P.]

Sorry, I meant "doesn't seem at all possible". Typo.

Well, maybe if you somehow take the heatspreader off the board, lap it, then somehow reattach it.

Sorry for seeming so frank in my first post. No harm done, hopefully?

[Exahertz]

It does seem at all possible? Think before you post.

I dont have any experience with lapping, and I was just curious. Is that such a crime? Thanks for resolving my question though.

Has there ever been an issue with the flatness of the chipset's IHS that requires the need of lapping it? does it really get so hot that a good TIM isnt enough?

[Webster]

Sorry, I meant "doesn't seem at all possible". Typo.

Well, maybe if you somehow take the heatspreader off the board, lap it, then somehow reattach it.

Sorry for seeming so frank in my first post. No harm done, hopefully?

I suppose I was a little frank myself. No harm done.

I thought at XS "good enough" was never really good enough, thats really the main reason for my questioning. I dont really think there is a need to lap the NB IHS now that I really consider it.

[Nate P.]

Cheers, Webster!

[Exahertz]

good enough??
what does that mean???

[headala]

good enough??
what does that mean???

[Pete]

I got the NB block to fit by not bolting it down to the mobo. It was fiderly but i did 2 mounts at a time in a digaonly, one is at an angle. The other issue i found one bolt was longer than the other by a mile. QC is needed loads, base of block was scratched loads as well. Meh it's er, it fitted and didnt leak all night.

Off now to get it back up and running now leak test is done. Hope she works still

[Exahertz]

I got the NB block to fit by not bolting it down to the mobo. It was fiderly but i did 2 mounts at a time in a digaonly, one is at an angle. The other issue i found one bolt was longer than the other by a mile. QC is needed loads, base of block was scratched loads as well. Meh it's er, it fitted and didnt leak all night.

Off now to get it back up and running now leak test is done. Hope she works still

is this with an EK block?

can you get us a picture?

[Pete]

is this with an EK block?

can you get us a picture?

Yeah, you not look at what people post inc big photos!

EK NB S-max. No photo of the problem as i waited 17 day for the shop to delive me the block which was instock.

Just booted and think my GFX is dead, i got lines all over the screen!!

[Exahertz]

Yeah, you not look at what people post inc big photos!

EK NB S-max. No photo of the problem as i waited 17 day for the shop to delive me the block which was instock.

Just booted and think my GFX is dead, i got lines all over the screen!!

Ah man that sux, I had large green and pink vertical lines in an old GeForce one time, it didn’t work for me ever, but I gave it to a friend and he said it worked fine for a few hours or so and then it did the same thing (kinda like it was a heat issue ).

And yea I've looked through a bunch of the pictures but I haven’t seen any issues with the NB blocks. Looks like all four holes line up and are bolted down snug. Is there an issue I should know before I order from EK?

P.s. sorry I haven’t been keeping up with my responsibilities and reading this thread as I am a maximus owner . Sorry and ill try to catch up.

But if I order a set of EK blocks, they won’t fit?

[Snyxxx]

Pete,

I ran my loop a little different between the EK 8800 block and South Bridge. I see you have an awkward turn between these two.

Check it out.


http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...1&d=1198000598

[Exahertz]

hey Snyxx,

which barb are you using as the inlet?

[Snyxxx]

Exahertz,

Danger Den 1/2" High Flow in the MCW-30 Southbridge and an EK on the MOSFET block by the CPU.

Never liked the plastic barbs that came with any of the Swiftech products.

[Exahertz]

Exahertz,

Danger Den 1/2" High Flow in the MCW-30 Southbridge and an EK on the MOSFET block by the CPU.

Never liked the plastic barbs that came with any of the Swiftech products.

Ah! I hate those plastic barbs too, Though there is less metal mixing (pros and cons everyware)

but really my question was, which barb (GPU block or MOSFET block) did you select to be the begening of your loop? and why wouldnt you make the CPU first???

[Snyxxx]

Ok, sorry for misunderstanding. My radiator is at the top of my case, so the inlet is the MOSFET without the tube shown. My reservoir is near the bottom, so the exit is from the south bridge block.

I actually spent a lot of time with my mobo in front of me working out the cleanest tube routing. I tried several combinations and this looked the best that did not require weird bends.

It does not really matter, the water temp is basically the same throughout the loop. I had temperature probes in two places and the delta was very small.

[Creek Tha Gray]

order came intoday and is in the water leak test so far none and its beed about 30min.

will be posting pics soon

[Talonman]

order came intoday and is in the water leak test so far none and its beed about 30min.

will be posting pics soon

Good deal man!! Looking foward to your picks.


Sorry to hear about your GPU too Pete. I hope it is just a mild overheat problem for you, but I'm guessing its not?

Keep us posted on if is officially dead. Was it an older GPU, or brand new?

[Exahertz]

I've got some money saved up (my stuff sold on Ebay ), and im ordering my blocks tonight!

[update]

blocks are on order

This thread is awsome, thanks Talonman for starting this up. for the longest time i thought i would have to get MIPs blocks to cool my maximus. and who has the money for those?

[Creek Tha Gray]

Good deal man!! Looking foward to your picks.


Sorry to hear about your GPU too Pete. I hope it is just a mild overheat problem for you, but I'm guessing its not?

Keep us posted on if is officially dead. Was it an older GPU, or brand new?

ok so unit is up and running and good news is new 903 bios reading 16C on cpu and its at something around -33C like the old 401 bios reads

bad news dead ati 2900 xt video card

will have to rma.