Yashica FX-D Quartz not winding or taking picture after beer spill

[calmoo]

Hey there!

So I've had this Yashica since last summer, really love it. Unfortunately I brought it out one day and I happened to have beer in my bag, the beer spilled and it got wet.

Now, when I try take a photo, the viewfinder is dark (the mirror always stays up, if i push it down when I take the lens off it flips back up). Also when I press the TTL meter button, it beeps and I get a few random flashing red lights on the light meter grid. I can not wind the film lever, it's stuck and only moves a few degrees. Nothing happens when I press the shutter release button.

I measured each battery's voltage:

1.18V and 1.48v.

I opened up the bottom of the camera and the few electronics seem ok, not corroded. There is a tiny bit of grit in the mechanics but they still move if I push them with my finger.

I can't open the top because the ISO/film winder/spool's head is stuck on very tight. Not sure if there's anything worth checking there.

All I can think of is the battery is too low but I'm not sure why that would happen after a beer spill? How much voltage do they both need to work correctly?

Anyway, Thanks. Not sure what else information to provide.

 

[p.giannakis]

In the past, I dropped my X300s in water and was behaving in a similar fashion. I removed the battery and left it in my car on a hot day. That evaporated all water. Now in your case sugars from the formatted yeast might short-circuit the electronics.

 

[calmoo]

Beer is really nasty on so many levels.

As one site put it: "Beer is part water, part sugar, part brown goo."

Buy another one. 🙁

I wish I had the funds! Focusing on fixing it for now I think.

In the past, I dropped my X300s in water and was behaving in a similar fashion. I removed the battery and left it in my car on a hot day. That evaporated all water. Now in your case sugars from the formatted yeast might short-circuit the electronics.

Doesn't seem to be any corrosion on the battery contacts, I probably should of taken the battery out when I left it to dry...

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I just googled your camera. Looks like the batts should be 1.55v's.

If it were mine I'd be tempted to take off the lens, remove the batts, and immerse it in distilled water or IPA to rinse out the beer remains. Then stick it in an oven at say 120*F for a while to help dry it, then put it in a bag of rice to thoroughly dry it out.
Good luck, but, I think you're looking at getting another one.

 

[p.giannakis]

Doesn't seem to be any corrosion on the battery contacts, I probably should of taken the battery out when I left it to dry...

I don't think it is s matter of corrosion, some sugar residues might be causing it.

 

[calmoo]

I just googled your camera. Looks like the batts should be 1.55v's.

If it were mine I'd be tempted to take off the lens, remove the batts, and immerse it in distilled water or IPA to rinse out the beer remains. Then stick it in an oven at say 120*F for a while to help dry it, then put it in a bag of rice to thoroughly dry it out.
Good luck, but, I think you're looking at getting another one.

I suppose this is worth a go. Thanks, will update.

 

[monopix]

Well let's go through this.

the beer spilled and it got wet.

It would have to be pretty much submerged for much beer to get into the workings. I would check other things first before writing it off.

Now, when I try take a photo, the viewfinder is dark (the mirror always stays up, if i push it down when I take the lens off it flips back up).

The mirror is still being held in its up position because the mechanism that brings it down hasn't been tripped. The shutter completing its travel is what would normally trip it so this suggests the shutter hasn't completed its travel. Have a look at the shutter and compare it to this picture.

If it's not like the picture (exactly like the picture - check the position of the rivets) then the shutter hasn't completed its travel.

Also when I press the TTL meter button, it beeps and I get a few random flashing red lights on the light meter grid.

Not sure about the beeping as I thought it only beeped when the self timer was engaged but flashing LEDs mean the batteries are low.

I can not wind the film lever, it's stuck and only moves a few degrees.

That's because the mirror hasn't returned and the wind lock is still engaged - perfectly normal.

Nothing happens when I press the shutter release button.

Because the shutter has been tripped but the camera hasn't completed its cycle - perfectly normal.

I measured each battery's voltage:

1.18V and 1.48v.

Well that's your first problem. Batteries should be 1.5V. Get some new ones.

I opened up the bottom of the camera and the few electronics seem ok, not corroded.

Sounds good. With the bottom open, disengage the wind lock manually then recock the camera and fire the shutter. You may find it sorts itself out.

Look at these pictures. This is the camera uncocked.



And this is it cocked.



The lever at the bottom can be pulled away from the cam on the bottom of the wind shaft to allow the wind shaft to rotate.

If the shutter isn't completing its travel then there might be some beer in it but I wouldn't immerse the whole camera in anything. You'll get liquid above the focus screen and you'll never get it out. Would be better to persist in trying to get the top off and dismantle the camera to a point where you could get some ipa into the shutter. Post back here if you need further help.

 

[rick oleson]

If it's really been flooded, there will be sticky goo in a lot of unreachable places inside.

One thing that I've done to recover costly electromechanical things that had been immersed in salt water is to get 3 or 4 one-gallon jugs of distilled water; cut the tops off of the jugs so you have a big hole for access; then immerse the victim in each jug in turn, for maybe an hour each. The residue will contaminate the water to some degree, which is why the multiple jugs: by the last one, the water is going to be pretty pure, and hopefully the goo will be gone. Then dry the item as quickly as possible without involving excessive heat: a hair dryer, maybe an oven at something like 120 - 150 F, no hotter than that. You want to get the water out before anything begins to corrode. It should go without saying that all this is done without any batteries in the camera.

No guarantees that this will work, and even if it does you may find that some lubricants have been thrown out with the bath water.... but it does work sometimes.

 

[Huss]

I wish I had the funds! Focusing on fixing it for now I think.

$16 for another one, with lens...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/YASHICA-FX-...650021?hash=item2eef249e25:g:0aEAAOSwSclXL46a