Fan Problem on GTX 460 Reference model Need Help.

[20mmrain]

Okay so I turned my computer on this morning and I hear a CLICK CLICK CLICK. I right away could tell it was a fan so I turned my computer off right away.

After I turned it off. I shook the computer a little bit expecting a loose screw to come out or something.

Nothing at all. So... since I noticed the noise when my Video cards fans spun up.... I went directly for them next.

At first I overlooked it but....after examining it closer.... I saw it. On one of my GTX 460 SC's one of the Fan blades was a little out of place and had a crack in it.

So needless to say I tried moving it back a little to see how bad it was. Well I shouldn't have done that...because it cracked the rest of the way off.

Now to most people this wouldn't matter because even with most of the blades on this fan.... it will still work well enough to cool the unit. But me because I overclock everything quite a bit I can't have this happen.

So the only reasons I can think of this happening is because of the closeness of my cards on the motherboard in SLI. Because of that the top card fan got caught on the bottom cards back brace and broke.

Or another option I have is that the fan was cracked to begin with.

Either way Evga is now saying "Sure we will RMA it" "But it might cost you more money" Which I personally think is quite stupid considering.... I put the cards in my case and that was it. There should have been no way for it to get broken.

But I also wanted to post this for a couple of reasons.

1. I was planning to sell these cards next week. If there was someone interested in this one for a really discounted price please feel free to PM me. Otherwise I will RMA it and not post the cards in my upcoming sale.

2. I wanted to point this design flaw in the reference GTX 460's fan. I appears that the middle fan hangs down lower then the Plastic sheath on the body of the card. So if you have two GTX 460's close running in SLI There is a real chance of breaking off a fan blade like I did.

I don't mean to be a pessimist but I am pretty sure the RMA will go as follows. "EVGA has found this problem to be user error. So if you want the fan Fixed and your RMA to be completed please pay "X" amount of dollars and then "X" Amount for shipping back.

3. If there are any after-market solutions that are out there for GTX 460's that will for sure work. I would very grateful to hear them now. I have already tried seeing if I can just order another fan from EVGA. They don't have one so that is out of the question. But if there are any after market HSF's that will for sure fit the GTX 460 please let me know.

But If any brand would help out with this it would definitely be EVGA. They do have the best Customer Service!

Here are some pics proving my point....
Damage

Way my Rig is normally

Picture of the Gap

Pic Of the culprit Possibly

Pics Of how low the fans sit.



So are my theories here correct? If so any thoughts besides RMA to get it fixed?

Thanks

[wolf]

you make an interesting point about how low the fan blades come down when the card is face down, which will be in most setups i think...

Personally I'd RMA the card to EVGA and link them to this post, from what I've heard they are excellent when it comes to honoring warranties and this hardly seems like your fault, it seems like the bad luck of the cards being so close on your particular motherboard and the fan blades hanging lower than the cooler shroud.

I guess its a good thing that so many board partners are releasing the GTX460 with their own cooler, they too might have thought 'gee this stock cooler is a bit...meh'

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by wolf

you make an interesting point about how low the fan blades come down when the card is face down, which will be in most setups i think...

Personally I'd RMA the card to EVGA and link them to this post, from what I've heard they are excellent when it comes to honoring warranties and this hardly seems like your fault, it seems like the bad luck of the cards being so close on your particular motherboard and the fan blades hanging lower than the cooler shroud.

I guess its a good thing that so many board partners are releasing the GTX460 with their own cooler, they too might have thought 'gee this stock cooler is a bit...meh'

You make some logical thoughts. As you can see my argument is very logical. SO thanks for the input I probably will end up doing that.

You know another funny thing I just realized too. It's not like they could use the excuse "well it's not our motherboard and that's why" Because LOL I am even using a EVGA Motherboard.

[Techtu]

I hear that the stock/aftermarket cooler's for the 88** series will fit due to hole placement, however you will then need to cool the RAM/VRM.

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by Tech2

I hear that the stock/aftermarket cooler's for the 88** series will fit due to hole placement, however you will then need to cool the RAM/VRM.

Yeah I have read mixed reviews on that. Some say yes they do and some say no they don't.

But as far as the RAM/VRM's that is one thing I wouldn't need. Because the GTX 460's don't come with any to begin with.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by 20mmrain

You make some logical thoughts. As you can see my argument is very logical. SO thanks for the input I probably will end up doing that.

very logical, it really seems like either that blade was weak to begin with, or it hanging lower has hit on the bottom card.

keep in mind you won't be able to break off that fin and keep using the fan as is, because the fan has an odd amount of fan blades. As a temp solution you might be able to completely remove the stock fan, and use this card as the bottom one in SLi with a standard case fan pointed at the cooler, however you then risk the same thing happening to the other card when it's on top.

[Techtu]

Originally Posted by 20mmrain

Yeah I have read mixed reviews on that. Some say yes they do and some say no they don't.

But as far as the RAM/VRM's that is one thing I wouldn't need. Because the GTX 460's don't come with any to begin with.

Maybe so, but as you mentioned you do do a lot of overclocking... cooling on the RAM/VRM is a must for anyone overclocking to reasonable lengths.

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by wolf

very logical, it really seems like either that blade was weak to begin with, or it hanging lower has hit on the bottom card.

keep in mind you won't be able to break off that fin and keep using the fan as is, because the fan has an odd amount of fan blades. As a temp solution you might be able to completely remove the stock fan, and use this card as the bottom one in SLi with a standard case fan pointed at the cooler, however you then risk the same thing happening to the other card when it's on top.

Yeah... that is true.... I think I might try to talk them into exchanging these cards for the EE version. But I doubt they will do that unless the same thing happens twice.

So what I am hoping for that this is just a freak occurrence.

Maybe so, but as you mentioned you do do a lot of overclocking... cooling on the RAM/VRM is a must for anyone overclocking to reasonable lengths.

LOL Ohh I see what you mean. Yeah actually it's funny you mentioned that. I totally forgot that I had some VRM/RAM sinks on the way for these from New Egg already anyway. I even made a post about getting those earlier.

[Lethalrise750]

Originally Posted by Tech2

I hear that the stock/aftermarket cooler's for the 88** series will fit due to hole placement, however you will then need to cool the RAM/VRM.

I've only heard Palit's and Gainwards GTX 460s will work with G92 Heatsinks. All of the others holes are spaced too far apart.

[Techtu]

Originally Posted by Lethalrise750

I've only heard Palit's and Gainwards GTX 460s will work with G92 Heatsinks. All of the others holes are spaced too far apart.

Thanks for that! I didn't know which model's fitted and what didn't

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by Lethalrise750

I've only heard Palit's and Gainwards GTX 460s will work with G92 Heatsinks. All of the others holes are spaced too far apart.

Yeah I thought that is what I heard as well... but I wasn't sure.

[theonedub]

Hmmmm how reduced are we talking?

[Techtu]

Originally Posted by theonedub

Hmmmm how reduced are we talking?

You really should PM him and see what damage you can do

But I think he will keep it and send it for RMA and fight for his rights, which clearly he is in the right, this isn't his fault.

[3volvedcombat]

I was going to say- if 1 of the blades go off.
It wouldn't just affect overclockability.

The fan would become unbalanced.

It'll vibrate your PC to pieces

Or slowly degrade the fan bearing 10 times quicker then usual.

So I dont know- Buy a new heatsink of evga when they come up?

Or fix it some how.

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by theonedub

Hmmmm how reduced are we talking?

Well theonedub isn't just anyone. He is someone I have dealt with before

[erocker]

I shouldn't need to remind you again, not to sell things out of the wrong forum. If you want to sell something, please make a thread in the B/S/T forum. That's not saying I think you were actually trying to do so though. I understand you're just covering your bases. Have you asked them just to send you a new fan so you don't have to ship the card away?

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by erocker

I shouldn't need to remind you again, not to sell things out of the wrong forum. If you want to sell something, please make a thread in the B/S/T forum. That's not saying I think you were actually trying to do so though. I understand you're just covering your bases. Have you asked them just to send you a new fan so you don't have to ship the card away?

Of course Erocker I am not trying to sell here. But with the other post I had up and that I was planning to announce it this week. I wanted people to know who were looking that there was a problem.

All selling will be held to PM's and B/S/T

This more is for the stated above reason.... and I really want help to figure this problem out.

As well as I want to warn people about this "Could Be low fan Problem" So that they keep their eyes open and don't have the same problem I had.

But thanks for the reminder

[erocker]

Yeah man, that is just poor fan design. Too much movement on the shaft and it needs to be addressed by the manufacturer. There's no way it should be sticking out of the shroud like that.

[newtekie1]

Here is the thing with the stock GTX460 shroud.

On the GTX460 I have, yes the fan sticks out of the shroud. However, the fan does not stick down beyond the second PCI slot, but the shroud actually dips in to expose part of the fan(seems like a stupid design idea, but not a flawed one like the OP makes it seem). If the shroud was flat on top it, the fan would not stick out. In fact if you take a straight edge and put it on the two high points of the shroud at the front and back of the card, the straight edge will not touch the fan.

Now, the doesn't mean the weight of the card won't bow the card down enough that the fan will touch the bracket on the other card, but it isn't because the fan sticks out beyond the shroud.

The way I see it, the fan blade was probably just damage when the card left the factory and it was never caught because it wasn't noticeable, and as you used the card the crack got worse and finally the blade failed.

What is even more interesting is that W1z just had a problem similar to this in one of his GTX460 reviews, but it was the Palit with a custom cooler. I wonder if the manufactuers aren't just using cheaper fans, with weaker plastic on this cards to try and save money...

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

Here is the thing with the stock GTX460 shroud.

On the GTX460 I have, yes the fan sticks out of the shroud. However, the fan does not stick down beyond the second PCI slot, but the shroud actually dips in to expose part of the fan(seems like a stupid design idea, but not a flawed one like the OP makes it seem). If the shroud was flat on top it, the fan would not stick out. In fact if you take a straight edge and put it on the two high points of the shroud at the front and back of the card, the straight edge will not touch the fan.

Now, the doesn't mean the weight of the card won't bow the card down enough that the fan will touch the bracket on the other card, but it isn't because the fan sticks out beyond the shroud.

The way I see it, the fan blade was probably just damage when the card left the factory and it was never caught because it wasn't noticeable, and as you used the card the crack got worse and finally the blade failed.

What is even more interesting is that W1z just had a problem similar to this in one of his GTX460 reviews, but it was the Palit with a custom cooler. I wonder if the manufactuers aren't just using cheaper fans, with weaker plastic on this cards to try and save money...

Hmm... Interesting. Yeah I noticed the dip too. That is why I said "It could be because of it" But see when I looked directly from the side on mine the fan did dip down just below the shroud.

Between that and the Back brace on the back of the other card.... those two things just probably made all the difference.

Out of curiosity.... does your back brace stick up a little further then most cards?

But even if that is not the problem.... your other idea is probably very true. Meaning there is a very good chance that Quality missed that coming from the factory.

Right now I work at a company in a CELL pattern that does just that. Makes computers. I know with so many coming through the line in a day.... your eyes have trouble catching everything.

That is also interesting that Wizz had the same problem. You know.... That is the 3rd problem I have heard like this today after mentioning mine. Not only to people here but after looking for the problem on Google.

The other problem cards were Galaxy and a Sparkle. The Galaxy is a non reference design and the Sparkle was a reference design. So the sparkle was the exact same design I have with the Sparkle branding of course.

But thanks for the input.... I think I might... link EVGA to this Thread among the others I have found. To show "Hey I ain't the only one"

[newtekie1]

Yes, the back plate does seem to stick up a little higher than normal due to the spacer to put pressure on the PCB.

[20mmrain]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

Yes, the back plate does seem to stick up a little higher than normal due to the spacer to put pressure on the PCB.

Alright I don't know how to take that then..... maybe it's bad news all around or I was hoping I was just a unlucky case of this happening.

I don't know we will see what EVGA has to say.

I am going to call them again tomorrow. And link them to this. So at least they can see the pics and they are on my record before I send it back. Then I will send the pics with the card.