'Clicking' sound from CPU/heatsink

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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
Hello hive mind...

I am unsure if this is a problem or if i'm being neurotic but thought I would post just in case. Around a week ago my desktop developed a strange clicking noise, something it hasn't previously done in its 6 short weeks on this planet. It is really hard to describe the exact sound it is making but it is a constant fast clicking.

On investigation it seems to be emanating from the heatsink/cpu area. Note I have a coolermaster 240 on a Ryzen 7 CPU. All of the fans (case and cooler) appear to be running smoothly so I don't think it is that. I have called PCS and they suggested it was likely an air bubble in the cooler but I'm not so sure that is a plausible explanation. Weirdly the sound seems to disappear under higher loads. I have run temperature tests and all seems to be working ok, which is kind of reassuring.

I have tried to upload a sound file but the forum doesn't seem to allow for this type of upload. Any tips on what this might be would be appreciated.
 
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Deleted member 17413

Guest
Almost like a rattling engine sound...
How old in the machine? Is the coolermaster a liquid cooler?
What are your temps like? (just wondering if a liquid cooler could it be the pump?)
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
sibun1 said:
Almost like a rattling engine sound...
How old in the machine? Is the coolermaster a liquid cooler?
What are your temps like? (just wondering if a liquid cooler could it be the pump?)
Click to expand...

The PC is approximately 6 weeks old. Coolermaster 240 is an AIO liquid cooler. Temps seem to be ok to be honest. I can live with it, it is just driving me crazy.
 
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Deleted member 17413

Guest
I'd get in contact with PCS, its not a normal noise for a computer to make.
Are you sure its not coming from a fan? either fan stuck, or something catching?
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
sibun1 said:
I'd get in contact with PCS, its not a normal noise for a computer to make
Click to expand...

No I didn’t think so either. I’ve already been in touch and they fobbed me off with it being an air bubble inside the system. Will try them again tomorrow.
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
Sorry missed the second part of your post. I can’t see anything catching and all the fans seem to be spinning fine. As I said it seems to disappear when under load and surely it’d get worse as the fans speed up if it was something catching? I’m a bit baffled. I could post a few pictures of the inside of the machine if that would help?
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
Quick update. Spoke to a very friendly chap in the PCS support team and they're sending me a replacement to fit myself tomorrow. I've never done this but it looks pretty straight forward. PLEASE DO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I appreciate all of your help as it gave me the confidence to sound a bit more convinving on the phone.
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
nick_123 said:
Quick update. Spoke to a very friendly chap in the PCS support team and they're sending me a replacement to fit myself tomorrow. I've never done this but it looks pretty straight forward. PLEASE DO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I appreciate all of your help as it gave me the confidence to sound a bit more convinving on the phone.
Click to expand...
What are they sending you?
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
SpyderTracks said:
What are they sending you?
Click to expand...

Good question...!! They're sending me a replacement 240 lite. The adviser listened to the recording above and agreed that it sounds like a failed/failing pump. Just need to swap the existing unit out, I assume re paste and away I go. Looks quite straight forward, but then it always does.
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
Replacement received. Very quick service.

A question for @SpyderTracks or @Nursemorph - i am going to repaste the CPU. I have some 99% isopropyl to clean the 'old' paste off, which I will do carefully. The PC is unplugged, the PSU is turned off and it has been sat in that state for 24 hours. There are no other precautions I need to take are there? I don't want to fry my system.
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
Nursemorph said:
In terms of the replacing the cooler, I have no idea as I have never removed a cooler or repasted in my entire life!! In terms of generally, the most important part is to make sure you ground yourself on something to remove any static before delving in (in an ideal world you'd wear an anti-static strap)...touching a metal tap I imagine should be sufficient or touch the case itself if it's on the floor
Click to expand...

The grounding thing had crossed my mind so thanks for clarifying. The old cooling system came out really easily, it appears to be a very simple job. Time will tell whether that is a naive or true statement.
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
nick_123 said:
The grounding thing had crossed my mind so thanks for clarifying. The old cooling system came out really easily, it appears to be a very simple job. Time will tell whether that is a naive or true statement.
Click to expand...
It’s usually better to leave the pc plugged in, but turn off the PSU switch on the back of the PSU. That will ground the case and internal components through the case.
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
All changed and back to being silent again. Fiddly as hell but once you've got the hang of it, it's a doddle. Thanks chaps, a job well done (y)
 
SpyderTracks

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
nick_123 said:
All changed and back to being silent again. Fiddly as hell but once you've got the hang of it, it's a doddle. Thanks chaps, a job well done (y)
Click to expand...
Awesome, well done :)

Best to just monitor temps for a day or two, make sure it’s all ok.

You can use hwmonitor for this:

www.cpuid.com

HWMONITOR | Softwares | CPUID

HWMonitor for Windows® x86/x64 is a hardware monitoring program that reads PC systems main health sensors : voltages, temperatures, powers, currents, fans speed, utilizations, clock speeds ... The program handles : CPU and GPU-level hardware monitoring...
www.cpuid.com www.cpuid.com
 
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nick_123

Silver Level Poster
Yes good shout. I’ve been running it in the background for the last 30 mins and I’m getting 30-40 degrees which I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) is acceptable. Ran a cinebench test and it maxed at 70, which again seems about right.
 
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Deleted member 17413

Guest
Glad its all fixed.
My first instinct of it being the pump was correct then, just surprised in could go so quickly (8 weeks I think you said?)
Short straw/unlucky pick I guess and got a dodgy one....but it was also kinda the reason why i chose one of the corsair ones when i picked my cooler. Coolermaster is PCS's own if i am right?

In a way, you are fortunate you heard it, the pumps can go completely and not make any noise, you wouldnt know until you started getting overheating problems, with yours it was obviously still working, but failing fast.

Out of curiosity (never fitted a water cooler myself) how "fragile" did it feel fitting it? My concern has always been i would over-do it and break something.
 
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Deleted member 17413

Guest
Ah ok (sorry for the shade PCS!)
Its kinda nice to know what it might sound like if mine should ever play up though, so thank you OP :p
Oddly familiar to an aquarium water filter pump! (Would make sense, another type of sealed liquid pump...just a bit more low tech in the aquarium one)
 
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