Well my replacement Blu-ray laser arrived yesterday while I was at work. When I got home and after getting things done I began to assemble my tools to begin the tear down. Took me awhile to find my security tips for my tools so I could get the security screw to begin.
After I found that, I set out my tools, setup my laptop so I could follow my tear down video's. So as I began all of my information stressed to make sure that there wasn't a disk in the drive before beginning as it will complicate things later.
The beginning of the tear down was not too bad, lots of screws though. So I get the system taken apart and I get the drive in my hands, and while looking at it I realize that there is a PS1 disk in the drive. So I begin to think should i put it back together enough so I can eject the disk or just proceed.
Well I decided to just proceed and I took apart the drive and the disk pops out and all the items spring back from the tension. I knew that wasn't good but I decided to do the replacement which was very easy and put it back together. But the drive didn't work as I knew it wouldn't. So I tore it back down and started to work on the drive to get all the internals right so it would work. This part took me the better part of 2 hours to fix. If I had of only ejected the disk the total repair time would only have taken me 45 minutes tops.
The process really isn't bad or at least to me it wasn't. It could be partially because I'm use to working on things such as this too.
Getting the security screw out, not a problem just need the right tool. The top then slides off. Next there are 7 screws that need removed. There are 6 long one and 1 short one. Then it comes to separating the two halves. Fairly easy just need to remember the two push clips in the back and the tops tilts forward. Then you can get to the Blu-ray drive. Pull the power cable off the side and flip the drive up. Disconnect the ribbon cable under it and set the PS3 unit aside and now you just have the Blu-ray drive. Now with just the Blu-ray drive remove 3 more ribbon cables from the underside, one on the right and a small square cable with 2 wires on it. Then remove 2 silver screws and 5 small black screws from the board attached to the system and set it aside. Now separate the two halves on the unit and you are almost into the inter drive now. Now remove 5 small black screws, this is the part where if you have a disk in the drive stop and put the unit back together enough to get it out, otherwise you will hurt yourself and have a very frustrating time it fixing it. Now separate the two halves and you are now into the inter workings of the drive and have direct access to the Blu-ray laser. So remove 2 small screws on the one rail and pry off the holds. Now lift out the rail and the laser. Now remove two small units from the old laser and put them on the new one and re-install the laser and rail back into the system. Place the holders back in and screw them into place. Now place the two halves together and put the 5 screws back in. Now place the two outer halves together and put the 2 silver screws in and the board on the bottom and the 5 screws holding it. Now reattach all the ribbon cables and the small square cable. Now put the ribbon cable on the bottom of the unit and the power cable on the side. You can now plug the unit in and test the cd function to see if it will accept a disk. This is where I ran into problems for hours. I'm not going into all I had to do to fix it but it was a mess and a lot of work. If it does, you're good to go. Now put the two halves of the unit back together and replace all the screws and then slide the top on and put the security screw in and it's all now.
Lots to do but it was cheaper and quicker then sending it to Sony and playing them $150 or more to fix it. Now it's just how long will this fix, fix the unit before the laser fails again. Hopefully not for a couple of years at least.