Flaky Dell Precision 670

OldBugger · 12-11-2008, 05:32 PM

My first post to this forum. Thanks Topcat, its great!

I have a Precision 670 which is suffering the dreaded Nichicon HN(M) disease. I have been reading about this issue for awhile because of the gx-270 minitowers we have. My 670 has spontaneously rebooted several times in the last week, and just seems "off its feed" if ya know what I mean

So, yesterday I opened it up to check things out and lo I counted 26 badcaps out of about 50-hmmmm.

The caps in question are the HN(M) with many 2200uf 6.3V cans. None have spewed, luckily. The VRM sports a nice 16V, 1500uf Rubycon.

I thought you all might enjoy a couple of pics. I will be unable to do anything with this for awhile, but when I get to it I am sure I will be checking back for help/advice/moral support! I answered "Yes" to all the preliminary questions except for the 6-layer PCB thing

. Any and all advice appreciated.

Dell Precision 670; MoBo revision sticker says A01.
Delivered: August 2004
Service Code: ends in 51
Dual 2.8 GHz Zeon, 800FSB; 1MB L2
2 GB DDR2
ATI V3100 128MB

Regards,
OldBugger _._. _ _._

weirdlookinguy · 12-15-2008, 12:19 AM

You'll be fine, just make sure you get ALL the nichicons in there, even if they haven't popped yet, unless you want to go through this again later on.

bgavin · 12-15-2008, 08:32 AM

I see swollen tops on some of the VRM caps, left side.

Replace everything from 470uF and up.
If the power supply is > 3 years old, consider recapping it, or replacing it.

lightingguy32 · 12-14-2009, 04:22 PM

check the one electrolytic capacitor that is on the VRM controller card, it is usually also bad.

**kc8adu** · 12-14-2009, 06:51 PM

and shut it off till you fix it.its worth some new rubycon mcz.tc has em.

hardwareguy · 01-10-2010, 12:35 PM

Recommended replacements in order of preference are Rubycon MCZ, Nichicon HZ and *NEW* Nichicon HN. (it was a manufacturing screw up that has been fixed)

Stay away from United Chemi Con KZJ. Failure rates are higher than they should be and Im uncertain if its been fixed.

Its funny to see a couple of Panasonic caps in there....those will probably outlive the machine!

If you recap the PSU, use Nichicon HC, HD, HE or PW, Panasonic FC or FM or United Chemi Con KY or KZE.

**Topcat** · 01-12-2010, 11:13 PM

Here ya go.

http://www.badcaps.net/store/product...products_id=11

lazychris2000 · 04-09-2010, 11:52 PM

I have a precision 670, but my motherboard is different from yours. I just replaced all 5 (there are 5 total) 2200uf, 6.3v caps which were bulging. None of the 1800uf ones were bulged, though. Got an order in so I can replace all of those little guys, but for now, it is running fine, with the exception of a high pitched whine from the PSU, which is also going to get recapped once my new caps get in. Anyway, my board has 820uf polys next to the cpus instead of the 2200uf (i think) that are in your pictures. Are there different versions of the motherboard that were made?
Left my camera at work, but I can post pics tomorrow if anyone wants to see them.

lazychris2000 · 04-17-2010, 04:31 PM

For some reason, the pics didn't come out clear, even though they were really clear on the little screen on my camera, so I took them again with better lighting so I didnt need to use the flash. My board has 820uf 4V caps by each CPU.

Per Hansson · 04-18-2010, 12:41 AM

I post a little info about the Solid caps here, in short Dell made a design change during the production of these boards so the later revs got Solid capacitors...

Post info on your 1800µF caps, they could be just fine and don't need replacing if you are lucky...

http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5974

lazychris2000 · 04-18-2010, 02:24 AM

Good to know I got a later rev board. Too bad it wont take the dual core xeons, tho... :/
They are Rubycom MCZ. 1800uf, 6.3V

Also, since I had forgotten I was posting here, I accidentally started a new thread about my power supply: http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9460

gottagojoe · 03-05-2011, 05:42 AM

My Precision 670 is about 6 years old. I did find most of the 1800uF and 2200 uF caps either buldging OR actual physically leaking. Was a painstaking task removing ALL of them (43 in all). Do not attempt this without a good desoldering tool. Only 2 were actually showing good in a cap meter. Most of the 1800uF were reading 300-400, and continued to drop in value. After replacing all 43 caps, machine is now working fine. I recently repaired my kids computer which would fail during bootup. That was a different brand computer. Goes to prove what my electronics teacher told me years ago.....90% of electronic failures are cap related.

Per Hansson · 03-08-2011, 09:01 AM

Welcome to Badcaps gottagojoe and congrats on reviving your nice Dell Precision WorkStation

dathan-alley · 06-02-2011, 10:32 AM

I also have a Dell Precision 670 that had some swollen, and some leaking capacitors on my motherboard. I replaced all of the swollen and or leaking caps with new ones with the same specs. The capacitor on my VRM didn't show any signs of being bad, but my error lights showed the error, "A possible VRM 0 and VRM 1 failure has occurred." So, I replaced the VRM module with a known working module and it still did not work. I also checked the power supply; there were no bad caps there either, but just in case, I swapped power supplies with a known working power supply. Does anyone think that I need to just replace all of the rest of the capacitors?

12-15-2008, 12:19 AM	#2
weirdlookinguy Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Sep 2007 City & State: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,611	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 You'll be fine, just make sure you get ALL the nichicons in there, even if they haven't popped yet, unless you want to go through this again later on.

12-15-2008, 08:32 AM	#3
bgavin Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Jan 2007 City & State: Orangevale, CA Posts: 1,350	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 I see swollen tops on some of the VRM caps, left side. Replace everything from 470uF and up. If the power supply is > 3 years old, consider recapping it, or replacing it.

12-14-2009, 04:22 PM	#4
lightingguy32 New Member Join Date: Feb 2008 City & State: vestal, ny Posts: 14	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 check the one electrolytic capacitor that is on the VRM controller card, it is usually also bad.

12-14-2009, 06:51 PM	#5
kc8adu Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 City & State: dayton ohio Posts: 6,433	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 and shut it off till you fix it.its worth some new rubycon mcz.tc has em.

01-10-2010, 12:35 PM	#6
hardwareguy Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Jun 2006 City & State: Arlington Texas My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 386	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 Recommended replacements in order of preference are Rubycon MCZ, Nichicon HZ and NEW Nichicon HN. (it was a manufacturing screw up that has been fixed) Stay away from United Chemi Con KZJ. Failure rates are higher than they should be and Im uncertain if its been fixed. Its funny to see a couple of Panasonic caps in there....those will probably outlive the machine! If you recap the PSU, use Nichicon HC, HD, HE or PW, Panasonic FC or FM or United Chemi Con KY or KZE. Last edited by hardwareguy; 01-10-2010 at 12:38 PM..

01-12-2010, 11:13 PM	#7
Topcat The Boss Stooge Join Date: Oct 2003 City & State: Salem, MO My Country: United States Line Voltage: 120VAC 60Hz I'm a: Professional Tech Posts: 6,355	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 Here ya go. http://www.badcaps.net/store/product...products_id=11 __________________ <--- Badcaps.net Owner & Forum Administrator!! Badcaps.net Services: Premade Capacitor Kits Badcaps.net Capacitor Master List Motherboard Repair Services If you've come here in search of replacement capacitors or repair services, please use the links above. ---------------------------------------------- Badcaps.net Forum Members Folding Team http://folding.stanford.edu/ Team : 49813 Join in!! Team Stats

04-09-2010, 11:52 PM	#8
lazychris2000 New Member Join Date: Mar 2010 City & State: Alaska Posts: 17	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 I have a precision 670, but my motherboard is different from yours. I just replaced all 5 (there are 5 total) 2200uf, 6.3v caps which were bulging. None of the 1800uf ones were bulged, though. Got an order in so I can replace all of those little guys, but for now, it is running fine, with the exception of a high pitched whine from the PSU, which is also going to get recapped once my new caps get in. Anyway, my board has 820uf polys next to the cpus instead of the 2200uf (i think) that are in your pictures. Are there different versions of the motherboard that were made? Left my camera at work, but I can post pics tomorrow if anyone wants to see them.

04-18-2010, 12:41 AM	#10
Per Hansson Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 City & State: ---- My Country: Sweden Line Voltage: 230v 50Hz Posts: 2,499	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 I post a little info about the Solid caps here, in short Dell made a design change during the production of these boards so the later revs got Solid capacitors... Post info on your 1800µF caps, they could be just fine and don't need replacing if you are lucky... http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5974 __________________ "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

04-18-2010, 02:24 AM	#11
lazychris2000 New Member Join Date: Mar 2010 City & State: Alaska Posts: 17	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 Good to know I got a later rev board. Too bad it wont take the dual core xeons, tho... :/ They are Rubycom MCZ. 1800uf, 6.3V Also, since I had forgotten I was posting here, I accidentally started a new thread about my power supply: http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9460 Last edited by lazychris2000; 04-18-2010 at 02:25 AM.. Reason: forgot to add something

03-05-2011, 05:42 AM	#12
gottagojoe New Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 My Precision 670 is about 6 years old. I did find most of the 1800uF and 2200 uF caps either buldging OR actual physically leaking. Was a painstaking task removing ALL of them (43 in all). Do not attempt this without a good desoldering tool. Only 2 were actually showing good in a cap meter. Most of the 1800uF were reading 300-400, and continued to drop in value. After replacing all 43 caps, machine is now working fine. I recently repaired my kids computer which would fail during bootup. That was a different brand computer. Goes to prove what my electronics teacher told me years ago.....90% of electronic failures are cap related.

03-08-2011, 09:01 AM	#13
Per Hansson Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 City & State: ---- My Country: Sweden Line Voltage: 230v 50Hz Posts: 2,499	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 Welcome to Badcaps gottagojoe and congrats on reviving your nice Dell Precision WorkStation

06-02-2011, 10:32 AM	#14
dathan-alley New Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 3	Re: Flaky Dell Precision 670 I also have a Dell Precision 670 that had some swollen, and some leaking capacitors on my motherboard. I replaced all of the swollen and or leaking caps with new ones with the same specs. The capacitor on my VRM didn't show any signs of being bad, but my error lights showed the error, "A possible VRM 0 and VRM 1 failure has occurred." So, I replaced the VRM module with a known working module and it still did not work. I also checked the power supply; there were no bad caps there either, but just in case, I swapped power supplies with a known working power supply. Does anyone think that I need to just replace all of the rest of the capacitors?

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