Solved Buzzing/Grinding sound at the top of my pc

[Woop]

This horrible sound occurs all the time. I've tried stopping every fan, yet the noise still runs. Here I've put a link to a post I made on Reddit that has a video of my issue.

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[PeterOz]

I Agree it does sound like a cable hitting a fan.
Also the top left hand fan looks to be spinning wrong Or it could be the RGB lighting.
If you have stopped every fan (except the ps fan) then I suspect it is the radiator gurgling.
To test the ps fan you can try to hold a screwdriver onto the PS case and put your ear to the screwdriver.
Is this a new build?
If yes do you have the radiator installed the correct way?

 

[Woop]

I Agree it does sound like a cable hitting a fan.
Also the top left hand fan looks to be spinning wrong Or it could be the RGB lighting.
If you have stopped every fan (except the ps fan) then I suspect it is the radiator gurgling.
To test the ps fan you can try to hold a screwdriver onto the PS case and put your ear to the screwdriver.
Is this a new build?
If yes do you have the radiator installed the correct way?

Hey thanks for the reply
I think the top left fan spinning wrong is just a video thing, it looks alright in real life.
Listening to the power supply, nothing seems to be wrong there. They sound definitely is coming from the top of my computer.
This is not a new a build, I've had it for about 2.5 years and I am quite sure everything is installed properly. This is my first issue I've had with this computer aswell

 

[Bruce]

it is certainly sounding like a fan blade is hotting something.
with the noise occurring, you pushed a soft bristled brush into every fan you can see and stopped it's blades, and the noise is always there?

what is that square thing screwed onto the top of the radiator - a temp sensor?
I'd be unscrewing that for starters.

 

[Woop]

it is certainly sounding like a fan blade is hotting something.
with the noise occurring, you pushed a soft bristled brush into every fan you can see and stopped it's blades, and the noise is always there?

what is that square thing screwed onto the top of the radiator - a temp sensor?
I'd be unscrewing that for starters.

I've unscrewed that square thing before, and there's liquid inside. I think I just realized today that my pc is liquid cooled Also regarding the fans, yes I've had every fan I can see stopped and the noise has continued. I just did some more research using "Radiator" as a keyword because PeterOz mentioned it, and I saw multiple posts on seperate websites suggesting that laying the computer on its side for 30 minutes may fix the issue. Linked in this reply is an old reddit post that has a video which sounds extremely similar to mine.

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I will be trying this and will get back to this thread in 30 mins

 

[Bruce]

you both have the same brand, so there's that connection.
if there is water in that square thing on top, and it needs to be cooled - hence it's on the radiator (yes, you have liquid cooling, those two top fans are cooling the water being pumped around by the water pump sitting over your processor) then there must be something in there making the noise - but I don't see an in/out hose going into that square thing.
where does that cable go to that is shown near the square thing?

 

[Woop]

you both have the same brand, so there's that connection.
if there is water in that square thing on top, and it needs to be cooled - hence it's on the radiator (yes, you have liquid cooling, those two top fans are cooling the water being pumped around by the water pump sitting over your processor) then there must be something in there making the noise - but I don't see an in/out hose going into that square thing.
where does that cable go to that is shown near the square thing?

Here's a pic. Looks like the cables are all under it. I'm assuming if my tipping the computer sideways technique doesn't fix it then I'll just have to get a new cooler. What do you think?

 

[Bruce]

take off the other side cover.
see if you can follow where that single cable out of the top square thing plugs into.

the tipping sideways idea will help if there is air in the system, and since you opened that top square thing (we really must get a better name than this) there is a good chance that there is.
tipping sideways will hopefully allow the air bubble to move past where it is now, hopefully stopping the noise, but if it is air, it needs to be removed.

 

[Woop]

take off the other side cover.
see if you can follow where that single cable out of the top square thing plugs into.

the tipping sideways idea will help if there is air in the system, and since you opened that top square thing (we really must get a better name than this) there is a good chance that there is.
tipping sideways will hopefully allow the air bubble to move past where it is now, hopefully stopping the noise, but if it is air, it needs to be removed.

The wire coming out of the "top square thing " is really hard to follow, but I believe it goes straight into this big clump in the middle, and then wraps back to the front and connects here. It also seems like I have not fixed the problem, but actually made it louder.

 

[Woop]

Another thing, flipping the computer upside does stop the noise, but it comes right back once I flip it again

 

[Bruce]

attach a shot of that 'top square thing' (gonna just acronym it to TST) - your fist vid seems to show only one wire, whereas the CPU_FAN2 (note the WP - water pump?) has three wires.

quick test, as the noise is happening, pull out that CPU_FAN2 cable.
best case - it's the TST and the noise will stop.
worst case - it's for the actual water pump on the processor, so a few seconds will not harm it if it stops pumping. just be ready to put the cable back on.

 

[Woop]

attach a shot of that 'top square thing' (gonna just acronym it to TST) - your fist vid seems to show only one wire, whereas the CPU_FAN2 (note the WP - water pump?) has three wires.

quick test, as the noise is happening, pull out that CPU_FAN2 cable.
best case - it's the TST and the noise will stop.
worst case - it's for the actual water pump on the processor, so a few seconds will not harm it if it stops pumping. just be ready to put the cable back on.

Here's a closeup pick for the fabled TST. You can see it's a little 3 wires. And good news! (I think?) Pulling out that cable did stop the noise, and when I put it back in the noise continued.

 

[Bruce]

good news!
so it's just that thing you either need to replace, or open and try and get all the air out.

it must be some sort of pump - I've never seen a AiO liquid cooler with a processor pump and whatever that TST is?
but, hey, my liquid cooling experience is very limited, an probably outdated.

at a complete guess, I'd be saying that TLT is not necessary, some sort of additional fan (maybe pump), surely the main water pump is all it needs.
having said that, I'm also guessing they just didn't whack it there cause it looks cool!

 

[Woop]

good news!
so it's just that thing you either need to replace, or open and try and get all the air out.

it must be some sort of pump - I've never seen a AiO liquid cooler with a processor pump and whatever that TLT is?
but, hey, my liquid cooling experience is very limited, an probably outdated.

at a complete guess, I'd be saying that TLT is not necessary, some sort of additional fan (maybe pump), surely the main water pump is all it needs.
having said that, I'm also guessing they just didn't whack it there cause it looks cool!

Thanks for all your help Bruce! I'll be taking your advice! One last question: You think my computer will be okay if I just unplug the TST and do something random while I monitor the tempatures? I'm wonder if my tempatures seem fine without it on then maybe I can just keep it unplugged

 

[Bruce]

that would be what I'd be doing also - unplugging the TST and seeing what happens with the processor temps.
I'm going to do some research and see if I can find what that **** TST is!!!

 

[Woop]

Turns out my computer doesn't like to stay on for very long once I unplug the TST, so I guess that's a no go I opened it up again and there's tons of liquid and lots of bubbles which is not good I think lol

 

[Woop]

I've had my computer laying sideways and off for about 12 hours now so when I get home see if that helped

 

[Woop]

UPDATE: It did not help. Also my computer now is shutting itself off after just a minute or two.

 

[PeterOz]

I opened it up again and there's tons of liquid and lots of bubbles which is not good I think lol

That is when you should have stopped.
You need to either replace the cooler (radiator) or see if that model allows for the radiator to be refilled.

 

[Woop]

Okay well I'll take it in to a local shop and let someone who knows what they're doing mess with it. Thanks for the help you two!!