Hi, I'm having a weird FPS problem. When I start a race, with a full grid of 20 AI cars, I start off with about 50 FPS. It will stay that way for a while then start to go down to 40, then 30 then 20 and so on, until I'm getting like, 1fps. And if I start a race and am getting 50 FPS, then drive about a lap, then restart the race, at the exact same point where I was getting 50 FPS, I only get 40. Each time I restart it gets lower. The only was I can get it back to 50, is to restart LFS, and then the same thing happens.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My system specs are these:
Intel Core 2 Extreme 6800 3.00Ghz
Dual Nvidia 7900GTX
4 GB RAM

And I play at 1680x1050 resolution, with all graphics levels full.

Everytime you restart a race, check your task manager to see if somethings not running in the Background.

I'd imagine overheating resulting in thermal throttling. Not an expert but I know the 6800 isn't a cool chip to begin with. But it could easily be a software problem, check the task manager like BenjiMC said...
~Bryan~

I checked the task manager and there doesn't seem to be anything running that would cause the FPS to be dropping. I'm really stumped here.

Does this happen in any other games?

If so that points strongly towards heat. Get Speedfan to check your temps.

It could be possible you have 'Draw Rubber' on. This setting shows ALL the skidmarks laid on the tarmac. When the race time becomes very long, many skidmarks will be on the track , thus causing lower framerates than at the start of the race.

I just tried running a race in rFactor, and I'm getting the same issue. Very odd considering I wasn't having this problem just a few days ago. I'll try downloading Speedfan, and I'll check the temps.

sounds like temps to me although if the FPS jumps right back up at the beginning of the next race assuming minimal time between races then it wouldn't be temp related

Quote from karter24 :

I just tried running a race in rFactor, and I'm getting the same issue. Very odd considering I wasn't having this problem just a few days ago. I'll try downloading Speedfan, and I'll check the temps.

Maybe a fan stopped spinning, or a lump of dust is lodged on a heatsink somewhere.

I would avoid running games until you know for sure that it isn't a heat issue. Find out ASAP, as heat can easily destroy your system.

Oh damn! I just checked my temps, 2 of the cores are at 74 Degrees Celsius, and Temp 1, which I believe is the main temp, is 67 degrees. I'm guessing thats high because it has a picture of a flame beside it. So what should I do to cure that?

I think this is the data sheet of your CPU. Thermal throttling from 55 degrees and more.

Check like mentioned before ( in case there is one ) if your CPU fan or some other fan in your PC cabinet has gone loose or has stopped working at all.

Second, but I doubt it as you say your PC worked just some days ago, check your bios settings that you don´t have any "Noise Reduction" settings activated
Check the setting: On-Demand Mode - system level power consumption as well.

I've checked, and it appears that all of the fans are working properly, but my CPU temp is still around 68 degrees, which is 8 degrees over the maximum recommended temperature. I'm really not sure what to do at this point other than contact my local PC store and see what they can do.

That is too hot. Shut down your PC now and don't restart it until the problem is fixed.

Ok, well I checked the nVidia Monitor, and it says that I'm running at 50 degress. So I'm not really sure which one to believe.

Quote from karter24 :

Ok, well I checked the nVidia Monitor, and it says that I'm running at 50 degress. So I'm not really sure which one to believe.

That's your graphics card temp.

is your computer under a desk or against a wall?

Quote from Lateralus :

That's your graphics card temp.

Oh, oops. My bad. and to reply to flymike91, its under a desk, but its been that was for about a year.

I find it really odd that this has started happening just within the last couple of days, when it seems like everything is working ok. I guess I'll just have to try to get my PC shop to get it fixed.

I have the same problem on my laptop - its due to overheating (at least in my case). Two bricks of ice underneath the computer and everything's fine.

I'ver heard the 6800's are rather hot especially running at 3ghz (not THAT high but still). Get a good aftermarket heat sink and you'll be fine.
here's my setup. 20ai's on aston GP and the highest it ever reads is 40c. btw q6600 @ 3.0ghz

P5K, OCZ Vendetta, OCZ Memory and an 8800GTS/GTX. Noice :P

I take it that you didn't build this your PC yourself? Are you using the stock Intel heatsink, or an aftermarket one. How have you applied your Thermal Paste?

Quote from karter24 :

I find it really odd that this has started happening just within the last couple of days, when it seems like everything is working ok.

Dust.

Don't take it to a shop yet. Basic PC repair is very very simple and you can avoid spending money.

Open it up and blow all the dust out with canned air. Take off the heatsink fan and get all the dust out of the heatsink fins. I had the exact same thing happen to me several months ago. Turns out there was a solid layer of dust caked over my CPU heatsink, so the fan wasn't really blowing on the fins at all. My temp dropped 15C just from getting the dust out.

its is a custom build. friend did an amazingly clean install. obviously not the stock heat sink. this is similar to what i have. cant remember exactly what i put in my system http://www.newegg.com/Product/ ... aspx?Item=N82E16835103031
oh, and the OCZ was just a temp replacement for the 4GB's of patriot that were in the mail. 8800gts. wish i had a gtx but it does well enough.

Ok, well my dad and I took the heatsink fan off, and sure enough it was caked with a layer of dust blocking the fins. We cleaned it all off, and the temp has gone down about 10 degrees. Problem is, its still 55 degrees. Is that too hot?

be sure the case fans are pulling air out, instead of pushing into the case

Quote from nelson_trujillo :

be sure the case fans are pulling air out, instead of pushing into the case

My fans push air into the case. I have never opened my case or touched the fans. Why is it bad for them to push air in?