Anybody tried to repair an iMac G5 motherboard?

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Anybody tried to repair an iMac G5 motherboard?

Our iMac G5, the first version, just died a couple of months after the end of our Apple Care subscription! Sic!
Anyway after consulting some serviceproviders we had to accept the death of the motherboard, but the last serviceperson we asked, asked me to open the shell and tell me what the capacitors looked like. There are 25 of them and almost 10 had something leaking out from the top, most of the others were bulging and almost bursting.
OK you have to buy a new motherboard or buy a new computor - or do as he successfully did - change the capacitors to new ones! Since I know a little about electronics and how to handle a soldering iron I wanted to give it a try. If I could get my mac up and running for some $50 instead of $1200 it would be worth it.
I checked the values of the capacitors - I thought. But 5 of them had a different value than the others. That I didn't notice before removing all of them and now I don't know where they sat. Is there anyone who can help me out. Maybe tell me the C-numbers of the 1000pF 16V capacitors or discribing where they shall sit.

le.b

MacBook Pro 2,4, 15", Mac OS X (10.5.4), iMac G5, 17" (No iSight) + PBG4 Titanium

Posted on Sep 1, 2008 1:14 PM

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Answer 1

MGW

Level 7

27,041 points

Sep 1, 2008 1:19 PM in response to Mojsaj

It is probably not too late to ask Apple to honor its Repair extension programs, your leaking capacitors are the main reasn the extension was issued. Call Apple Sweden and remind them of the warrant extension and see if they will help you.

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Answer 2

Sep 7, 2008 7:07 PM in response to Mojsaj

I haven't yet, but this guy has...

http://jimwarholic.com/2008/07/repairing-apple-imac-g5-motherboard.php

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Answer 3

Mojsaj Author

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Sep 15, 2008 1:20 PM in response to MGW

Thank you Miriam, but Apple was not really the right place to ask this question, I was told. They suggested me to turn to one of their service providers. But since I already had taken my G5 apart I had to pay for the information I needed – not really what I had hoped for.

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Answer 4

Mojsaj Author

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Sep 15, 2008 1:42 PM in response to Claris_say_Moof

Claris sayMoof,

This article was exactly what I was looking for! Tomorrow I will visit my electronics dealer and buy what I need, solder the capacitors in their right places and put everything back together.
Claris sayMoof you made my day and hopefuly my G5! Thank you.

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Answer 5

Sep 22, 2008 4:54 AM in response to Mojsaj

Hi,
So I am curious if you managed to replace the capacitors, and what the cost was. Does your iMac work now?

I have a 1st gen iMac G5 (17") and I have had the exact same problem with leaking capacitors for a long time. Computer function was very erratic, until it finally died when I tried to move data to my new iMac. The power supply died...

So now I have a dead iMac 1st gen with leaking capacitors and dead power supply.

BTW, my new iMac intel has died on me as well, but that one is under warranty. I will ask at the apple store about my iMac G5 when I give them the iMac Intel for repair.

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Answer 6

Mojsaj Author

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Sep 23, 2008 2:00 AM in response to KalleUlla

Hi KalleUlla,

Yes I did it and the computor seems to work fine only that the display has no background light. I can see very faint open windows if I look carefully. Before the iMac was totally dead.
To remove the old capacitors was a little tricky, but it's not so tight that you might damage something else with the soldering iron, but I recommend you to go to this link and read the article before you do anything. http://jimwarholic.com/labels/Apple.php
But it isn't really very difficult or expensive to do it. I paid 10:- kronor (SEK) a piece for the capacitors in an electronics store in Nykoping.

Anybody know how to fix the background light on an iMac G5 display?

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Answer 7

Sep 23, 2008 9:12 AM in response to Mojsaj

That's also one of the reason's why you want to get the the MLB replaced.

As an ACMT, I can tell you that the issue is related to what we call a 560 issue
otherwise known as the iMac Repair Exchange Program. The capictors that
burst on the MLB pretty much trash the MLB, which also affects the connectors
to themain components, one being the LCD, which means that your
LCD Connecting port is blown and it isn't telling the LCD when and how to backlight.

The fact you are getting power to the LCD, and images, means that the LCD is ok.
But your MLB controllers are shot, I'd be surprised if the fans don't constantly run,
you often have disc access errrors from CD, etc.

no easy answer but I'd get the MLB replaced ASAP. Eventually you'll make the problem worse.

In any event, a qualified Apple Service Provider should only be charging you
out of warranty Labor and Part exchange price from Apple. I can't quote on
their Labor charges, but a Mother board exchange for an OOW bad MLB
is only $535 US.

YMMV, I'd shop around......

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