Fitting a 240mm/280mm rad in a Corsair Spec-02

[HunterAP]

I have a small server with a 2700X using the stock Wraith cooler that it came with inside a Corsair Spec-02 case. The case can't fit larger air coolers liek the noctua NH-D15 or the NH-D14, so I want to do watercooling. It only supports 120mm rads at the rear, but I want to get a larger rad to cool the 2700X properly.

 

Normally, there's the problems of the 5.25" bay being in the way, as well as the case not being tall enough to fit 2x 140mm fans OR a 280mm rad without fans. I manually removed that 5.25" bay so that isn't a problem, but I don't know how to mount the rads properly due to these size limitations. There is also a mediocre fan filter there.

 

Here's a pic of the top of the case:

 

My question is, would I be better off mounting the 240mm/280mm rad inside the case (mounted to the top) and have fans mounted outside on the top (in a pull-only config), or vice-versa with having the rad on the outside and the fans mounted inside the case (in a push-only config)? Would it be better to have both the rad and the fans mounted outside on the top of the case instead?

The next thing is that I know trying to get either the radiator cables and/or the fan power cables to the outside of the case (depending on what config I end up doing), the back of the case has these rubber grommets in the back that could actually fit the necessary tubing. If that doesn't work, I can always take out two or three PCIe backplate shields.

I'm assuming to use those grommets that I'd need to either use a custom loop OR get an AIO quick disconnect cables, but I can't seem to find any AIO's with quick disconnect cables besides some mentions of an EVGA AIO that I can't find the name of. I'd prefer an AIO since I don't want to spend so much on a custom loop and such.

[Fasauceome]

3 minutes ago, HunterAP said:

My question is, would I be better off mounting the 240mm/280mm rad inside the case (mounted to the top) and have fans mounted outside on the top (in a pull-only config)

Bingo, exactly what I was thinking

 

4 minutes ago, HunterAP said:

or vice-versa with having the rad on the outside and the fans mounted inside the case (in a push-only config)?

Radiator is more fragile, more expensive, and push makes dust cleanup harder.

[Radium_Angel]

Beat it to fit, paint it to match.

[HunterAP]

3 minutes ago, fasauceome said:

Bingo, exactly what I was thinking

 

Radiator is more fragile, more expensive, and push makes dust cleanup harder.

There's also the fan filter at the top, should I bother keeping it on or no?

And if I'm doing rad-inside and fans-outside then I'd only need to mount the fans outside, so I can easily use the grommets to have the fan power cables go through too.

[Fasauceome]

Just now, HunterAP said:

There's also the fan filter at the top, should I bother keeping it on or no?

If it fits, you should leave it.