MacBook "Liquid Damage" Repair Help

[Mactrout]

So my wife spilled a coke on her uni body 2008/09 macbook, then unknowingly tried to turn it on. I then removed all power, disassembled and set up a fan and light to see if we could salvage. I do see some corrosion as well on the board. After some passing time we tried to boot up

The result:
- battery light works
- fan tries to spin.
- brief flicker of screen
- glorious "on" chime
- battery indicator works

thats about it. The machine was taken to the apple store and we received the 700-800 repair estimate.

As with others I am contemplating the following

1. Disassemble again and continue drying out
2. pay the 700 (3 year old machine)
3. scrap and buy a new machine
4. try and fix myself.

thoughts, advice, guidance.

much appreciated!!!

 

[shokunin]

Is it just a 13" MB? If so, I'd ebay it with full disclosure as a parts only, as-is machine. I've been surprised how much they go for and use the proceeds to buy a new MBP.

 

[iMayne]

So my wife spilled a coke on her uni body 2008/09 macbook, then unknowingly tried to turn it on. I then removed all power, disassembled and set up a fan and light to see if we could salvage. I do see some corrosion as well on the board. After some passing time we tried to boot up

The result:
- battery light works
- fan tries to spin.
- brief flicker of screen
- glorious "on" chime
- battery indicator works

thats about it. The machine was taken to the apple store and we received the 700-800 repair estimate.

As with others I am contemplating the following

1. Disassemble again and continue drying out
2. pay the 700 (3 year old machine)
3. scrap and buy a new machine
4. try and fix myself.

thoughts, advice, guidance.

much appreciated!!!

Is it possible to upload a picture of the affected areas? I may can help.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

I think any money or time you spend on it is wasted, even if you get it going again it will likely fail again soon enough, coke is nasty stuff with electronics, especially live electronics, so who knows how many other failures there are waiting to happen once its run a few hours or days.

Buy a new one.

 

[sngx1275]

I think any money or time you spend on it is wasted, even if you get it going again it will likely fail again soon enough, coke is nasty stuff with electronics, especially live electronics, so who knows how many other failures there are waiting to happen once its run a few hours or days.

Buy a new one.

I've not spilled coke on anything (*knock on wood*) but I did spill wine on a PBG4 and I flipped it upside down and tried to get it turned off immediately, but in reality it was probably 10-15 seconds later before I got the machine off. After letting it dry for a long time, it would power on. The screen has a couple bright spots in about a 1x2" area, and something is dicked with the circuitry to charge the battery because if the battery is in the machine switches between charging and running on battery about twice every second.

But other than those things, it runs fine. Its been working as a desktop/file server for weeks now with no issues. So while this guy may still have future problems, it is also possible that a machine can have only a particular part messed up and still work fine otherwise.

 

[MacintoshMaster]

I have spilled coke on my first macbook and I put it upside down for an hour and no damage. Must of been sat there pouring it!

 

[Mactrout]

Thanks for all the responses

has anyone tried iresq?
http://www.iresq.com/

 

[Tumbleweed666]

I've not spilled coke on anything (*knock on wood*) but I did spill wine on a PBG4 and I flipped it upside down and tried to get it turned off immediately, but in reality it was probably 10-15 seconds later before I got the machine off...... So while this guy may still have future problems, it is also possible that a machine can have only a particular part messed up and still work fine otherwise.

It was probably the flipping upside down that did it, seems this didn't happen in the OPs case, plus of course it depends exactly where and how much liquid . In your case, it seems likely no liquid (or very little) got to the motherboard, in the OP's case, not so fortunate.

Of course there is an element of chance and luck here, but my point is, taking everything into account, and especially corrosion on the motherboard, the odds are not on his side.