11 / USE POLISH
Once dry, use a chrome cleaner to deal with nickel-plated waterblocks
and standard metal polish on bare copper waterblocks. Use a
microfibre cloth with medium pressure for 20 seconds or so, then
switch to a clean section of cloth to buff it to a shine.14 / CLEAN WATERBLOCK
Once you’re finished cleaning and polishing, it’s important to clean the
components to prevent the polish from entering your coolant loop.
Use a damp cloth to wipe them down, then rinse them with water
before drying again.12 / CLEAN BLOCK COOLANT CHANNELS
The fins and channels may have residue from coolant, or even from the
manufacturing process, lodged in them. Use the brushes to clean these
parts, or an air duster will also work. You can use a cotton bud to apply the
chrome polish in harder to reach areas.15 / REASSEMBLE WATERBLOCK
Once you’re happy with the finish, reassemble your waterblock,
making sure the O-ring is seated properly. You’ll need to treat your
loop as untested for the moment, so perform a leak test to make sure
your reassembled block is watertight.MODDING / HOW TO GUIDES
10 / SCRUB WITH SOAP
Use warm water with a small amount of detergent to clean the surfaces
of the components, taking care not to damage any rubber O-rings
that are present. Once you’ve removed the worst of the grime, flush it
thoroughly with water and dry it using a microfibre cloth.13 / POLISH ACRYLIC
Acrylic will also benefit from polishing, especially if it’s come into
contact with coolant. Any mild abrasive polish will work here, including
the chrome cleaner we’ve used, but a plastic polish will help to bring it
back to a clean shine.