You shouldnt have cut the sides off the motor fan mount- it is designed to funnel air down around the motor and between the fins to ensure maximum cooling & heat exchange- without the sides, the air is just blowing against that one spot under the fan and then dispersing..
Yeah I know, but the little fan sucks.
That's reason why I have 3D cooling hahaha
Question does the watercooling really helps a lot?
YES the water cooling works more efficiantly than air cooling due to the direct contact/conduction theory. More labor intensive due to added maintenance, but worth it in some setups.