Hey all, I've been recently having a problem with my 980 Ti Hybrid card. Recently, my card has been getting to fairly high temps (~35c idle, ~75c under 80% load). In most cases I wouldn't really care since I only play OSRS nowadays, but I plan on going back to my old card and selling this one to a friend of mine soon and I want it to be in top shape. When playing something like MW 2019, I would hear a lot of popping noises which I'd assume to be air bubbles. I've looked around and the only reasonable solution asides from servicing it myself was to gently shake the radiator, and let the radiator run on its side for 15 minutes. I did this and it only seemed to make the problem worse where it'll now overheat during a stress test, quickly climbing to >90c during stress test and hovering 84c while under 80% load (still idles at 35c though). I only hear the bubbles as it's cooling down now, which makes me think the air moved a bit. I've already re-pasted the GPU die a month or two before, and I know for certain that the pump and fan are working as they should. I just can't seem to bleed this damn air out. I'm curious as to what I should try next because I'm stumped, or if I should just keep going with shaking it. Thanks in advance!

Hoggle
I wouldn't shake it as that could cause the air to become multiple bubbles at different spots. Rotating the radiator slowly normally will cause the air to move and free itself to go to a new position. I am just wondering though how long the card has been used in the system without the case or radiator being moved. It's odd for air to just show up in a closed loop system and cause noise.

Probably happened when I had it mounted for a few days in my old rig/case which was too small to allow the rad to be mounted on the top. the tubes were pointed downwards but the rad itself was level with the gpu.

Still can't seem to figure out why only the corner of the radiator (on the side with the warm tube) gets warm under load. I feel like whatever is causing this is also causing the overheating, since the heat can't spread over all of the radiator to be dissipated by the fan (maybe a blockage right near the radiator?)

HeavyHemi

soopcan
Still can't seem to figure out why only the corner of the radiator (on the side with the warm tube) gets warm under load. I feel like whatever is causing this is also causing the overheating, since the heat can't spread over all of the radiator to be dissipated by the fan (maybe a blockage right near the radiator?)

Because over time, the liquid in the AIO has 'evaporated' (technically the hoses are permeable and lose liquid over time). You might be able to get a bit more life out of it with the suction or cold side tube is facing down and the inlet to the rad or hot side on top. This way any air would be at the inlet at the top and not the outlet or suction port. This would prevent any air from being sucked into the pump.

Is that something that could really happen in the span of a day or two though? Just before this started happening the load temps were a little warm for an AIO but it wasn't nearly this bad.  

soopcan
 
Is that something that could really happen in the span of a day or two though? Just before this started happening the load temps were a little warm for an AIO but it wasn't nearly this bad.  

Depends on the orientation of the setup. If air was building in the system and the orientation was changed so it was forcing air instead of water through the loop, then that can do it. Make sure the radiator is above the GPU, and orient the radiator so the hose in/out are at the bottom-most point, that will keep the air at the top of the rad  but let what coolant is left continue to flow back to the pump. Could pulse the pump as well to be sure to clear any air out of it too.
 
As for coolant, it depends if the hybrid setup uses mixed metals. I prefer just distilled water and a few drops of algaecide to act as a biocide, but if the radiator uses aluminum then you would need to add something to deter galvanization, or go with a special coolant.