Getting parts for DIY Macbook repair

[unfrozen.jon]

My friend spilt a lot of tea on her 2008 aluminum MacBook. She turned it off and brought it into a university store that had AppleCare techs. Obviously because of what she did the repairs would not be under warranty. They told her that the logic board was corroded and that part of the MacBook was ruined (I have asked her to get the exact details). They said the cost of replacing and repairing everything would cost her more than a new one.

She needs one for university so she got one on the spot. I am planning to get her to mail it to me to see if it can be fixed for a reasonable price if the labour is free. I am in military communications and the technicians at my unit repair consumer electronics when things are slow to practice their skills. I've got about 20 IT/comms techs there that work on everything from computers and servers to radios and radars. They are pretty skilled so I think they should easily be able to fix it.

I am guessing a lot of that high price they quoted her to fix would have been long hours to clean out everything and remove and replace parts plus the all the testing time.

I am wondering if you can order all the neccesary replacement parts. Where would be the best place to get them? Can I simply go to an AppleCare shop and buy replacement parts or is there a reputable site to order everything I should need off of?

Appreciate any advice you can offer.

 

[l.a.rossmann]

From someone who started as a tech in recording studios, radios are a totally different ballgame.

Things are actually well documented, and it's a totally different method of soldering parts.

 

[rgarjr]

You can try ifixit.com see how much they want for a new logic board.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Are you sure it doesn't work? Keep it off, I'd even consider taking the hard drive and battery out, and dumping even more WATER on it, to try to get rid of all the sugars which WILL ruin the computer, and then let it sit for a very VERY long time (in rice, to absorb the water faster if you will)

Then put the hard drive and battery back in. Power it up, and see what happens.

P.S. Try not to get the water on anything that wasn't already spilled in iced tea. LCD screens and water aren't friends...

EDIT: If it wasn't sweetened and she hasn't tried turning it on yet, it may be very fixable still. The important part is to make sure you don't turn it on while it's wet and short circuit anything.

 

[tonyynguyen]

I would clean off all the residue with alcohol and a toothbrush, then re-flow the logic board with solder, checking for cold solder. Sometimes if I'm lazy, I would remove all the plastic off the logic board, apply soldering flux all over the board and stick it in a 400F degree oven for 5-10minutes..

 

[l.a.rossmann]

alcohol and a toothbrush works 1/5 times. an ultrasonic cleaner with distilled water and a nice cleaning agent works 3/5 times.

 

[toolbox]

There is aways ebay or if you go into apple store i am sure they can price a part for you / order it in. I no when i needed a battery for my Powerbook they did just that. Even posted i too me!