If you send your Sony PS3 in to be fixed it is gonna cost you $159.00. They will mostly always say that it is beyond repair and just send you a refurbished model. So if you were already passed your Sony PS3 Warranty like me (purchased in 2006) then it can't hurt to go ahead and DO IT YOURSELF. There is also a "PS3 Repair Center" that charges $65 under the video in orange just scroll the arrow on the ads if its not visible.)
Here's what you'll need to fix your Playstation 3 YLOD.
1. A small Phillips Head Screwdriver & a Large Phillips Head Screwdriver.
2. A Flat-Head screwdriver or a slotted torx driver.
3. Isopropyl Alcohol (regular Alcohol)
4. Heat Gun (goes to at least 500 Degrees) $24 - $75 The $24 one is fine to use. Got mine for $24 at Sears.
5. Thermal (Heat) Compound - Buy this at any computer store & many other places. I used "Arctic Blue."
6. Can of compressed air.
Detailed Steps 1 - 10
1. Remove PS3 warranty sticker and rubber foot that is positioned above hard drive slot. (REMOVING THE STICKER VOIDS YOUR WARRANT IF IT WAS STILL ACTIVE)
This will invalidate any warranty. So if you still have warranty time abort mission here..lol.
2. Using a small flat blade screw driver or #10 torx bit, unscrew cover plate screw.
3. Slide Playstation 3 cover plate towards the left until it stops and lift off.
4. Remove all Phillips screws marked noting size and position. Note my "post-it Note Method in the videos to 1st Video to the right)
5. Hinge case towards you until disengaged and then tilt towards the left. See below.
6. Remove ribbon cable by carefully lifting black part of connector (locking tab). IF a ribbon is there at all. Depends on the Gb & generation.
7. Lift/tilt blue ray drive towards the right while disconnecting power cable and the large ribbon (lift tab) underneath.
8. Remove screws and the earth wire screw on psu, and unplug connector plug.
Before removal of psu unplug small bnc connector (black wire) and remove tape on side of psu, now lift off psu. Maybe u wanna save the tape if possible.
9. Now remove the wide ribbon from connector (lift tab) unscrew the four screws on the Bluetooth board and remove.
10. Remove hard drive cover.
Detailed Steps 11 - 20
11. Unscrew blue hard drive screw and disengage hard drive by sliding towards gap in the bay. I usually do this step first but sometimes I wait. Either way is cool.
12. Remove hard drive by using the latch to slide right. (see Vids to the right for further detail).
13. Unscrew 4 screws holding the bracket, on/off and eject control panel. Remove small ribbon (lift tab) and remove control panel. This step may not be necessary if your on/off switch assembly is inside the cover as it is in the video.
14. Remove 8 screws to disengage from base.
15. Lift board assembly out of plastic base. Clean all the dust from the base.
16. Now unclip black rear panel and remove.
17. Unscrew 4 screws and remove sprung brackets if they are there.
18. Lift off metal cover plate while allowing ribbons to pass through gaps in plate without damage. (Taking note where heat sink soft pads are positioned). Make sure nothing falls off.
19. Supporting fan assembly turn board over, remove fan power connector and fan. This is a good time to clean with can of air.
20. Remove 2 screws holding plate to hard drive connector and unplug battery connector.
Now remove plate. Note: battery may look like a big watch battery...if so, no need to unplug anything here.
Detailed Steps 21 - 30
21. Clean off old heat sink compound from the 2 square CPU & GPU processors using Isopropyl alcohol making sure all traces of the old heat sink compound is gone.
22. Clean both touch plates on bottom of fan/heat sink assembly with Isopropyl alcohol as well until all traces of the old heat sink compound has gone.
23. Now using a vacuum cleaner or compressed air blower clean all the dust build up in the case and on all component parts of the ps3 (pay special attention to the fan assembly and heat sink fins(MUST BE CLEAR OF DUST).Vacuums might actually be a little better.
24. Clean as much dust off as possible around the board & casing. Be careful not to damage any circuits so hold can of air far back to blow off.
25. Once cleaned you should now have a nice pile of parts going.
26. Check the top metal cover plate (underside) for burn-in marks. No worries if you see some.
27. Place the ps3 mother board on a flat heat resistant surface
28. Turn heat gun on to the #2 setting if you're using a black & decker. About 500-750 degrees. Let it get heated for 10 or so seconds before you start to heat the board & components.(If there are black pads with stickers on them above the heat sink pads remove them before heating because they will melt.)
29. After warming both side of the whole board slightly. Using a circular motion hold heat gun over the square CPU & GPU (see Videos 3 & 4 at top right for details).
30. CPU side first.
Detailed Steps 31 - 42
31. Heat each pad for about 20-25 seconds a few times.
32. Once all marked areas have been heated/reflowed on the mother board LEAVE for at least 15 to 20 minutes to cool. (DO NOT MOVE MOTHER BOARD WHILE COOLING AT ALL).
33. A popping noise may be heard during cooling, no worries this is normal.
34. NON CPU side. (step 34 & 35 may not be necessary if you have the assembly in the video above)
35. After 10 to 15 seconds move onto the next area.
36. Once all marked areas have been heated/reflowed on the mother board LEAVE for at least 15 to 20 minutes to cool. (DO NOT MOVE PS3 MOTHER BOARD AT ALL WHILE COOLING).
37. A popping noise may be heard during cooling don’t worry this is normal. Maybe not.
38. Now its time to apply new heat sink compound to the 2 processors, when doing this its always best to follow the manufacturers instructions but I believe the process is the same with all types (please check instructions that come with paste), before continuing
39. The paste I am using is called ARCTIC SLIVER 5 it’s a silver based compound. http://www.arcticsilver.com You can buy it from most pc shops or online. Its probably the best thermal compound on the market.
40. Use syringe supplied and dispense a small worm of compound from top to bottom on the left hand side of processor chip, now using a credit card spread compound evenly and thinly over processor face (too much is bad and not enough is also bad) the ideal amount is when you can almost see through the paste. A very thin coat.
41. Now repeat on the other processor.
42. Re-assemble. Just retrace your steps. Be sure all RIBBON CABLES & PLUGS have been connected fully. Take your time.
CONGRATS!! You just fixed your 'YLOD' (Yellow Light of Death) aka '3 Beeps' aka Blinking Red Light of Death.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
How to Fix Your PS3 Yellow Light of Death YLOD
How to fix your Playstation 3 Yellow Light of Death without spending the $159 to send it in to Sony. You'll feel like a Electrical Engineer afterward.