Emax

Electrolytic caps have a number of failure modes.
They can leak the dielectric and that either appears on the PCB or the top of the cap (which is what yours look like).
The cap can swell and distort the case, easy to spot on the top. Even the rubber bung at the bottom can pop out.

They can dry out as well which usually you can't spot.

They can sometimes develop a short although you would know from the smell and sometimes the bang.

And some other not so obvious failure modes as well.

Sometimes they exhibit these signs but still work, but it is better to replace them.

Electros can fail even if the unit is unplugged in the cupboard unused for a few years.

Don't know anything about electronics, can get help? Start by replacing the caps , electrolytic ones first.

Word of warning............
 capacitors store charge.
Electrolytic ones (as the are usually a high value) can store a lethal charge.
The electro caps in a some types of power supplies are across mains voltage. Here in Australia this is 240v and can kill you even after the power is turned off. You need to wait for it to discharge and check it with a volt meter.

Sounds like replacing the whole PS was the right thing to do.

Royce

--- In emax@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel Baum" <daniel@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> 
> >The electro caps looked stuffed, which is typical for the age and they are 
> >the first port of call in a rebuild.
> 
> Excellent. That means that the original diagnosis from chevytravelleruk was 
> correct and that changing the power supply was justifed.
> 
> If I could have rebuilt it myself, then it would have been better to have 
> done so. However, since I would have had to pay someone else to do it, it 
> was about the same price to get a brand new one.
> 
> How can you tell that they're stuffed, BTW? It would be useful to know.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Daniel
>