powermac g5 that runs too hot, LCS bad?

[thefriendshipmachine]

Hi friends

I am so sorry if this was asked before, because I know the computer is old, but I still like it.

I bought a powermac g5 and the seller claimed it works fine. It does turn on and boots into MacOS except that one CPU reaches 83C. The other CPU reaches 40C.

I wish I could show you pictures of this but I panicked as soon as I saw this and turned it off right away. But I do have pictures from inside the mac:

http://imgur.com/a/HKKSx

From google I have found that this is a quad core G5 and I think it looks like the "dual pump" by delphi. I have read that this is good news because the pump is not known to leak but bad news because the pump is known to seize.

I have tried cleaning dust inside the case but the problem of heat persists. I do not know exactly why but am thinking it is because one of the pumps must be broken or clogged.

I have found this post that shows how to fix the problem, but it seems like a lot of work. I am worried of breaking the entire thing. I was wondering if anyone knows what I should do. I have tried to buy a new pump from the internet but they seem hard to find .

 

[eyoungren]

Despite now owning a Quad (a recent gift from a forum friend) I have zero experience with pumps because it's not something I've dealt with before. The Quad I got was also given to me with a known good system so I've not had to worry. I do have another system with a pump issue I have yet to troubleshoot howver.

Hopefully someone else can help in regards to your issue.

I am commenting however to say that you need not worry about damaging the Mac. Unless something drastic has happened to this machine there is a process called thermal shutdown built into each Mac. That process is designed to shut down a Mac before any heat related damage can occur.

Of course it's not good for components when you keep running at high temps, but the fact that you were able to operate the Mac without it shutting off on you automatically means you did not approach the thermal threshold for damage to occur.

You'll know it's thermal shutdown when the Mac just switches off on you. One moment it's on, the next it's not.

 

[thefriendshipmachine]

Despite now owning a Quad (a recent gift from a forum friend) I have zero experience with pumps because it's not something I've dealt with before. The Quad I got was also given to me with a known good system so I've not had to worry. I do have another system with a pump issue I have yet to troubleshoot howver.

Hopefully someone else can help in regards to your issue.

I am commenting however to say that you need not worry about damaging the Mac. Unless something drastic has happened to this machine there is a process called thermal shutdown built into each Mac. That process is designed to shut down a Mac before any heat related damage can occur.

Of course it's not good for components when you keep running at high temps, but the fact that you were able to operate the Mac without it shutting off on you automatically means you did not approach the thermal threshold for damage to occur.

You'll know it's thermal shutdown when the Mac just switches off on you. One moment it's on, the next it's not.

If I am too scared to take it apart and repair the LCS then do you think there could be an alternative?

I was wondering if I could maybe insert an extra fan or even an extra liquid cooling system and tape or attach it to the side of the heat sink of the bad cooler.

I love this machine and I am very worried of breaking it because where I live it is very hard to get another

 

[eyoungren]

If I am too scared to take it apart and repair the LCS then do you think there could be an alternative?

I was wondering if I could maybe insert an extra fan or even an extra liquid cooling system and tape or attach it to the side of the heat sink of the bad cooler.

I love this machine and I am very worried of breaking it because where I live it is very hard to get another

There are some who have converted an LCS G5 to air cooled, but it's a rather involved process I hear. I don't think there is anything to be nervous about, although I hesitated getting an LCS equipped G5 myself for fear that I'd come home one day to find the living room carpet ruined by coolant leakage and my Mac smouldering.

But that turned out to be nothing as I know once I actually start looking at this myself it will be as well. Just involved is all.

The case designs of the G5 however mandate fixes to the actual components. There's no easy way to just "insert an extra fan". With the heat output of the G5 Apple designed the inside of the case very specifically to create cooling channels. So, it's tight in there to begin with.

Secondly, just adding another fan isn't going to solve any heat problems on LCS systems. It's kind of like saying that adding another fan under the hood of your car will fix a low coolant problem. Not going to work.