New GTX 980 + EK water block = unhappy Bart (because EK!)

[Bartacus]

So I bought a new Zotac GTX 980 AMP edition, and for a time, life was good.

Decent sized card with nice cooling:



Not overly thick either, typical 2-slot card:



Even comes with a back plate (EVGA take note):



4 screws later, it's half nekkid:



Now with much more expensive clothes:



Shiny backplate, leak testing:



Then things went wrong, as they always do with me. I just can't upgrade without drama. I managed to get the block & back plate installed, but it just didn't feel right. Upon closer inspection, the back plate was bowed a little. It appears the 4 main screws connecting the water block to the GPU are interfering with the back plate. I can look through the card and plainly see the thermal tape on the back plate that's supposed to be snug on the back of the GPU isn't even touching it. Normally you'd think I was using the wrong screws, but I used the shortest ones in the kit. Now that in itself might not be too big a deal. But when I went back to remove the back plate to troubleshoot, it won't come off. As I'm loosening the back plate screws, I notice that the stand off on the GPU block is turning too! Great, so now the back plate is basically not removable, since the stand-offs on the GPU block are loose in 2 places. The only way those are coming off is with a tiny pair of needle-nose pliers that I don't have (yet). Plus the stand-offs are round, so I don't even know if I'll be able to get a good enough grip on them to get the back plate screws out.

Plus, I think EKs install instructions kinda suck. Not the worst I've ever seen, but you'd figure after spending $250 on a GPU block and back plate, they could at least ship with color instructions. Nope. I love reading black and white instructions that tell you to refer to the RED arrows in the pic below. Yeah, you can tell they're shaded differently, but still. That much money should at least get me some colored damn instructions.
I guess we'll see what happens when I install it tomorrow (IF I install it). Hell, I might have to go back to the Zotac back plate, since now I'm worried about the back of the GPU being smothered.

TLDR: first time buying EK, spend a lot of money, not impressed. No offense Luc.

Bart

[easynator]

Hey,

I don't know if it matters or not, but according to the EK Configurator, the EK waterblock and the backplate are only visually compatible with your video card. That might explain why you are having these troubles.

You can download the colour-ish install instruction from the EK website [here]. I just reviewed them and it's weird the show the diagram of the full waterblock instead of the partial one... I'm sure the process is the same, but the screws are probably not at the same place, aren't they?

BTW, is it the nickel backplate? It looks pretty fresh

Good luck tomorrow!

[xmanrigger]

That is very unfortunate. Maybe you got a bunk backplate and those four screws are supposed to go thru the backplate, not under. Although your backplate looks different, hat is what any instructions for installing the plate on EK website seem to indicate. Looks as though there are 4 holes in ths backplate around GPU.

Cant go wrong with Watercool. Fine German engineering. Always my first choice. With that said, I have an full copper EK Supreme HF that performs very well.

[Hooded]

Not 100% sure of your blocks stand offs but the standoffs on my DCII blocks all have a small flat spots to allow the provided small wrench to tighten them.
I've had issues with loose standoffs in the past and they are a real PITA to deal with.
If you need a wrench for EK standoffs, I have a few and could send you one.

[Bartacus]

That is very unfortunate. Maybe you got a bunk backplate and those four screws are supposed to go thru the backplate, not under. Although your backplate looks different, hat is what any instructions for installing the plate on EK website seem to indicate. Looks as though there are 4 holes in ths backplate around GPU.

Cant go wrong with Watercool. Fine German engineering. Always my first choice. With that said, I have an full copper EK Supreme HF that performs very well.

MY back plate doesn't have holes around the GPU. The holes are around the outside of the plate. I read the instructions a dozen times, but I feel like I must be missing something.

Not 100% sure of your blocks stand offs but the standoffs on my DCII blocks all have a small flat spots to allow the provided small wrench to tighten them.
I've had issues with loose standoffs in the past and they are a real PITA to deal with.
If you need a wrench for EK standoffs, I have a few and could send you one.

The standoffs on the new blocks are round, so I don't think a wrench would help, but thank you kindly for the offer buddy.

I'm wondering if maybe there was supposed to be a thicker thermal pad supplied with the back plate. The GPU block had 2 different thicknesses of thermal pad, and the instructions laid out where the thicker one went, but there was no mention of differing thicknesses on the pads for the back plate.

[xmanrigger]

MY back plate doesn't have holes around the GPU. The holes are around the outside of the plate. I read the instructions a dozen times, but I feel like I must be missing something.

Yes, I see that. But all the instructions for GTX980 blocks that have back plates, are showing holes around the GPU. Maybe it is the stock backplate that is being shown in instructions. I never read them fully, just looked at the instruction pictures. Just like how I read Playboy.

[Hooded]

Proper instructions for Barts Backplate

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-IM/EK-IM-3831109869284.pdf

No hole around GPU chips.

[xmanrigger]

OK, I see that now. So the others must have been using the stock backplate. I was referring to the GPU instructions and just assumed the backplate was part of the package. Thanks.

[Jeff R 1]

Bartacus, I am assuming that the water block is removed to get at the spinning stand-offs. If so, what about taking a dremel tool with a diamond cutting wheel (they're very thin) and making a slot in the stand-offs to get a flat head screw driver in.
This will require a steady hand off course and an assistant to hold the card steady.

[Akira749]

That's very unfortunate

I don't know what to say Bart...

Quick question, when you put the backplate on the GPU, you should feel that the thermal pads "connect" with the GPU. Do you feel this or does it seems that something is in the way?


Also about the standoff issue, if you continue to unscrew, the standoff should come off the GPU block and when the block is removed you will have access to unscrew the standoff by hand

[Hooded]

The four screws around the gpu are un-accessible making it nearly impossible to just keep unscrewing the backplate without putting alot of pressure on both the card and the backplate.
This design seems a bit of a fail imho.
Standoffs without flat spots to properly tighten them into block Fail
EK not having those round standoffs Red Lock Tighted(Glued) in place. Fail
Cutting corners from what I see.

[Hooded]

I would not recommend cutting a slot in the top of standoff. Maybe you could get away with it, if you have a proper size tap to re-tap stand off and enough thread on bolts/screws to get past slot end to full threads.

Use a long bolt/screw and a nut that matches your standoff's thread size. Put nut on bolt, now screw assembly in to standoff, being careful not to bottom out the bolt in stand off. With two proper wrenches hold the bolt still and jam nut on top of stand off. You can now screw standoff into block using the wrench for the bolt to properly tighten. Once tight Hold bolt wrench still and loosen the nut off. Now remove bolt from standoff.

If you can get some red or blue lock tight. That stuff is like a glue for nuts and bolts. Blue is for removable bolts, Red is permanent.

[Bartacus]

That's very unfortunate

I don't know what to say Bart...

Quick question, when you put the backplate on the GPU, you should feel that the thermal pads "connect" with the GPU. Do you feel this or does it seems that something is in the way?


Also about the standoff issue, if you continue to unscrew, the standoff should come off the GPU block and when the block is removed you will have access to unscrew the standoff by hand

Yeah that's an option I never considered. It was late last night while I was doing it, so I kinda gave up and went to bed. The thermal pad on the back plate does NOT touch the back of the GPU. I can hold the card up to the light and see that plainly. Not sure if the GPU block came with the wrong screws or something, but there's NO way it can touch because of the screw heads around the GPU used to mount the GPU block. I used the smallest ones in the package too.

It passed the leak test though, so that's one good thing. But I must say I am not impressed with this block OR back plate at all. There are machining swirl marks ALL over it, and the back plate too. If I had the stones to void the warranty, I'd be polishing the hell out of the acrylic to try and remove the ugly swirl marks. It seems very "rough around the edges", and not finished properly. Which is a shame for a product this expensive. Oh well, live and learn, and probably won't buy an EK product again unless this gets resolved somehow. The whole experience leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth, to the tune of $250. The marks plus the back plate not fitting shocks me. You assume this stuff is tested quite well, so I really hope I'm missing something obvious here.

[Bartacus]

I would not recommend cutting a slot in the top of standoff. Maybe you could get away with it, if you have a proper size tap to re-tap stand off and enough thread on bolts/screws to get past slot end to full threads.

Use a long bolt/screw and a nut that matches your standoff's thread size. Put nut on bolt, now screw assembly in to standoff, being careful not to bottom out the bolt in stand off. With two proper wrenches hold the bolt still and jam nut on top of stand off. You can now screw standoff into block using the wrench for the bolt to properly tighten. Once tight Hold bolt wrench still and loosen the nut off. Now remove bolt from standoff.

If you can get some red or blue lock tight. That stuff is like a glue for nuts and bolts. Blue is for removable bolts, Red is permanent.

Thanks for the tips! I don't want to be cutting into something, especially if I decide to return it. This whole thing reeks of bad QC, or maybe I just got a bum one. I'll probably take it apart tonight and see what I can do. I did locate a pair of small needle-nose pliers, so maybe I can cover the ends with black tape and get that screw out without damaging the standoff. I suck so badly with tools! Spent far too much time as a kid on a Commodore VIC-20 instead of learning practical stuff like tools. I'm with you, design seems like fail, or at the very least it lacks attention to details. Not representative of a "flagship" product at all.

[Bartacus]

Yes, I see that. But all the instructions for GTX980 blocks that have back plates, are showing holes around the GPU. Maybe it is the stock backplate that is being shown in instructions. I never read them fully, just looked at the instruction pictures. Just like how I read Playboy.

I'm one of the few nerds that actually reads the manual. And the Playboy articles.

Bartacus, I am assuming that the water block is removed to get at the spinning stand-offs. If so, what about taking a dremel tool with a diamond cutting wheel (they're very thin) and making a slot in the stand-offs to get a flat head screw driver in.
This will require a steady hand off course and an assistant to hold the card steady.

I may end up returning it, not sure yet, so no cutting. Plus, since I'm REALLY useless with tools, I don't want to risk that. I'm sure I can get it out without dremeling. At least I hope, otherwise I have a permanent back plate with no passive cooling on the back of the GPU!