Watercooling leak!

[MontBlanco]

Yesterday my watercooling parts had arrived, Took me 2 days to install plus all the fans and fan controller I got. Today as I leak test, There were a few drops of coolant under my GPU block. I had an XSPC Razor GTX 670 block.

 

While installing the block, I installed the G1/4 plugs and saw that the O ring wasn't pressed, the thread wasn't even half way into the block but it cannot be turned by hand anymore so I was questioned by that. Then as I fill the loop, there were leaks all over the plugs (5 of them) but it cannot be tightened by hand any more so I used a flat-head screwdriver to screw it in and the plugs finally went all the way with the O ring pressed down too. So am I doing it right using the screwdriver even though people said not to use tools as hand tight are fine?

 

But after 1 hour of leak test, I felt a leak as I went to check the fittings, specifically, the fittings on the gpu block and the bottom radiator. So I tighten them again by hand. and as I wait again for 15 min and check the fittings again, there were still a leak but it was minuscule as like a drop. So should I keep tightening the fittings by hand until it is cannot be turned any more? I'm scared if I would crack the tubing.

[gatecrasherlok]

Usually you don't need to tighten more than hand tight and have never had problems. Overtightening on surfaces like plexi and the alike can have adverse effects where you may cause microfractures thus leading to leaks. If I were you, I'd switch everything off and make dissaemble all watercolling parts and double check everything. maybe the rubber grommets are not flush on the fittings etc or for any defects. 

[MontBlanco]

The GPU block with the plugs leaking were an Acetal block, will using tools still crack or damage Acetal? I have read that Acetal is soft so screwing them sideways will damaged the thread of the block and that is the only problem with Acetal as far as I know. Correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[gatecrasherlok]

Even acetyl could crack if you over tighten breaking the threads as you said.

[DrainDoc]

It's also very possible that there may have been a bad machined thread in the block

itself or possibly the fitting.

 

Hope it's not cross threaded?  That would be bad.

[Ghost]

You need this: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=thread+spacer&oq=thread+spacer&aqs=chrome.0.69i57j0l3.2030j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=790a4fa1531df3f4&q=watercooling+thread+spacer&tbm=shop

 

[airdeano]

the XSPC want you to use shallow threaded fittings to allow the o-ring to make contact

before the thread runs out (fitting bottoms out). anything less than 5mm of fitting thread

(like their fittings) works well.

 

airdeano