iPod touch What part should I replace?

[Kulahan]

(Note: If you don't feel much like reading, skip to the second paragraph!)

So, a while back, I was really bogged down with a significant amount of work, and my mom decided to try and help me out by doing a load of laundry for me. Unfortunately, while doing this, she decided to pick up a pair of pants that was laying on the floor, which had my iTouch 2nd gen in the back pocket. Obviously, this went through the wash . At first, it didn't work at ALL. It wouldn't turn on. I was annoyed, but, again, I was bogged down with work, so I set it aside and forgot about it for a month. After a month, I noticed it and decided to try plugging it in to see what happened. Lo and behold, it started working again. There were soap stains behind the glass screen (maybe on the LCD?), and it wouldn't hold a charge, but it was turning on again. I got annoyed that it wouldn't charge, though, so again, I abandoned it for a while. Eventually, after letting it sit for a while again, I decided to try it one last time. Miraculously, it started working completely. It would hold a charge, the soap stains were gone, and it was back to complete normal (Almost). I honestly couldn't believe it. Anyways, this brings me to the main part of my question.

The only part of my iTouch that DOESN'T work correctly now is the headphone jack. (Obviously fairly important). When I plug it in, only the right headphone/speakers of whatever's plugged into it work correctly. The left ones only work if I jiggle the cord around. Well, being the tinkerer that I am, I decided to try and take it apart and look at the jack to see if it was maybe rusted or something. While doing this, my dog surprised me, I flinched, and I cracked the glass panel. I'm in the process of ordering a new one, but I don't want to take this one off until I get the new screen here so that I don't have to expose the LCD for too long. Based on the way the headphone jack is working, would you think it's possible to fix my jack while I've got the glass screen off, or should I just order a new one? Also, how difficult is it to replace the headphone jack? Would I need a soldering iron? I've got one, but it's really only for heavier gauge wire like speaker wire. Help, please!

 

[pcs are junk]

the headphone jack is where the water sensor is. just replace the head phone jack. also when replacing the screen be extremely careful not to touch the digitizer with ur skin. wear a pair of gloves. from what ive heard, if skin touches it, the touching part of the ipod is gone and you need to order a new digitizer. so itll probably be just better to get a new one...since ur likely to come up with more problems.

 

[Kulahan]

Ah, thanks for the tip about the gloves! I never would have thought about that.

 

[kAoTiX]

the headphone jack is where the water sensor is. just replace the head phone jack. also when replacing the screen be extremely careful not to touch the digitizer with ur skin. wear a pair of gloves. from what ive heard, if skin touches it, the touching part of the ipod is gone and you need to order a new digitizer. so itll probably be just better to get a new one...since ur likely to come up with more problems.

Not sure where you got this information but its 100% false.
I've repaired hundreds of iPods and not once has a Digitizer just died on me because I touched it with my skin.
You can literally take the brains out of an iPod and hold it in your bare hands and it wont damage it.
The only way it could is if you were statically charged enough to damage the electronics. Touching the metal of the iPod case however solves this easily.

OP: I had an iPod with a similar problem recently where the headphone jack didnt work properly but did work. If you wiggled the headphone plug inside the jack you could get both side audio. I had it replaced and everything worked fine after.
There is soldering involved, 4 pins of roughly 2mm thickness. I didn't do the soldering but I would presume you would need a fairly thin tip to avoid connecting any pins or melting anything else.
Good luck