Macbook Core 2 Duo Heat Sink Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          45 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

Battery
2 steps
Memory Cover
2 steps
Upper Case
8 steps
Heat Sink
5 steps

Flags

BackMacBook Core 2 Duo
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery

Use a coin or spudger to rotate the battery-locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

Use a coin or spudger to rotate the battery-locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.

1024

Step 2

Lift the battery out of the computer.

Lift the battery out of the computer.

Step 3

              Memory Cover

Unscrew the three evenly-spaced Phillips screws from along the rear wall of the battery compartment.
The screws are captive to the metal memory cover so you cannot lose them.
Using The Flexible Extension sold by iFixit will help with this step.

Unscrew the three evenly-spaced Phillips screws from along the rear wall of the battery compartment.

The screws are captive to the metal memory cover so you cannot lose them.

Using The Flexible Extension sold by iFixit will help with this step.

Step 4

Grasp the right end of the L-shaped memory cover, then pull it towards you so it clears the battery compartment opening.
Lift the memory cover up and out of the computer.

Grasp the right end of the L-shaped memory cover, then pull it towards you so it clears the battery compartment opening.

Lift the memory cover up and out of the computer.

Step 5

              Upper Case

Remove the following 3 screws:
One 11 mm Phillips#00 in the middle of the lower case. (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)
Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00 (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)
If the screws stick in the case, you can use a magnetized screwdriver to draw them out.
The shorter of the three screws goes in the middle of the lower case.

Remove the following 3 screws:

One 11 mm Phillips#00 in the middle of the lower case. (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)

Two 14.5 mm Phillips #00 (Head: 5mm dia. x .75mm thick)

If the screws stick in the case, you can use a magnetized screwdriver to draw them out.

The shorter of the three screws goes in the middle of the lower case.

Step 6

Take extra caution with these screws as they can strip easily!
You could use a flexible extension to minimize stripping.
Remove the following 3 screws from the rear wall of the battery compartment:
One 3 mm Phillips #0. (Head: 2.75 mm. dia.)
Two 4 mm Phillips #0 on the either side. (Head: 2.75mm dia.)

Take extra caution with these screws as they can strip easily!

You could use a flexible extension to minimize stripping.

Remove the following 3 screws from the rear wall of the battery compartment:

One 3 mm Phillips #0. (Head: 2.75 mm. dia.)

Two 4 mm Phillips #0 on the either side. (Head: 2.75mm dia.)

Step 7

Remove the two Phillips screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).
Two 6.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

Remove the two Phillips screws from either side of the right wall of the battery compartment (not the ones closest to the battery connector).

Two 6.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

Step 8

Remove the four indicated Phillips screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screws.
Four 3.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x 4mm thick)

Remove the four indicated Phillips screws from the front wall of the battery compartment. When working from the left, remove the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 9th screws.

Four 3.25 mm Phillips #000. (Head: 4 mm. dia. x 4mm thick)

Step 9

Remove the following 4 screws from the back of the computer:
Two 11 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2.2mm dia. x 2 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)
Two 7.25 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2mm dia. x 3.75 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)
During reassembly, the two longer screws go on the inside, and the two shorter screws go on the outside.

Remove the following 4 screws from the back of the computer:

Two 11 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2.2mm dia. x 2 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

Two 7.25 mm Phillips #00, with Shank (2mm dia. x 3.75 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

During reassembly, the two longer screws go on the inside, and the two shorter screws go on the outside.

Step 10

Remove the two Phillips screws from the optical drive (right) side of the computer:
Two 5.2 mm Phillips #00, with shank (2.3mm dia. x 3.25 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)
It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the ports (left) side of the computer.

Remove the two Phillips screws from the optical drive (right) side of the computer:

Two 5.2 mm Phillips #00, with shank (2.3mm dia. x 3.25 mm len.) (Head: 3.2 mm. dia. x .5mm thick)

It is not necessary to remove the similar screws on the ports (left) side of the computer.

Step 11

There’s a trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable connecting the upper case to the logic board, so don’t pull the upper case off entirely just yet.
Use a plastic opening tool, an expired plastic credit, or a similarly-thick card to pry up on the upper case, starting in the upper-left corner and working around to the front of the computer.
The upper case is likely to stick at its connection above the front edge of the optical drive. If this happens, first free all other sides, then proceed to pull upward on the upper case from either side of the optical drive opening. Here again, inserting a plastic card, guitar pick, etc. can be useful.
If you stand the base of the MacBook on one end to get a better look, you may displace the four grey plastic clips that hold the right side of the upper case in place. Don’t panic. They slide into slots at the top rightmost edge of the lower frame, above the front edge of the optical drive.
During reassembly, make sure the clips on the right side, above the optical drive, click firmly into place. They’re different from the clips on the left side, and so normally they require a little firmer pressure to click into place.

There’s a trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable connecting the upper case to the logic board, so don’t pull the upper case off entirely just yet.

Use a plastic opening tool, an expired plastic credit, or a similarly-thick card to pry up on the upper case, starting in the upper-left corner and working around to the front of the computer.

The upper case is likely to stick at its connection above the front edge of the optical drive. If this happens, first free all other sides, then proceed to pull upward on the upper case from either side of the optical drive opening. Here again, inserting a plastic card, guitar pick, etc. can be useful.

If you stand the base of the MacBook on one end to get a better look, you may displace the four grey plastic clips that hold the right side of the upper case in place. Don’t panic. They slide into slots at the top rightmost edge of the lower frame, above the front edge of the optical drive.

During reassembly, make sure the clips on the right side, above the optical drive, click firmly into place. They’re different from the clips on the left side, and so normally they require a little firmer pressure to click into place.

Step 12

While holding up the upper case, pull up the black tab on the connector end of the silver ribbon cable away from the connector’s socket on the logic board.
If there is no black tab, you can also use a spudger to gently pry the connector out of its socket on the logic board. This connector is tall, so be sure to pry straight up.
If you happen to break your upper case cable when removing the upper case, we stock the cable individually and we have a guide that makes replacing it easy.
While you have the upper case removed, it’s a good time to remove dust, hair, etc. It’s best to use a can of compressed air, though if you use a brush, make sure that its bristles are made of a material (usually animal hair) that doesn’t generate static electricity, which can destroy electronics.
Upon reassembly, there are 4 grey plastic clips installed in slots running along the top of the frame in front of the optical drive (refer to second and third pictures). These clips must be installed in their slots for their mating tabs on the underside of the right side of the upper case to snap into them.

While holding up the upper case, pull up the black tab on the connector end of the silver ribbon cable away from the connector’s socket on the logic board.

If there is no black tab, you can also use a spudger to gently pry the connector out of its socket on the logic board. This connector is tall, so be sure to pry straight up.

If you happen to break your upper case cable when removing the upper case, we stock the cable individually and we have a guide that makes replacing it easy.

While you have the upper case removed, it’s a good time to remove dust, hair, etc. It’s best to use a can of compressed air, though if you use a brush, make sure that its bristles are made of a material (usually animal hair) that doesn’t generate static electricity, which can destroy electronics.

Upon reassembly, there are 4 grey plastic clips installed in slots running along the top of the frame in front of the optical drive (refer to second and third pictures). These clips must be installed in their slots for their mating tabs on the underside of the right side of the upper case to snap into them.

Step 13

              Heat Sink

Carefully peel up the black felt tape between the heat sink and fan.

Carefully peel up the black felt tape between the heat sink and fan.

Step 14

Peel up the small black rubber cover from the right side of the heat sink.

Peel up the small black rubber cover from the right side of the heat sink.

Step 15

Use a spudger to disconnect the two newly-revealed temperature sensor connectors from the logic board.
If you have a MacBook Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa/Penryn, there is only one temperature sensor.

Use a spudger to disconnect the two newly-revealed temperature sensor connectors from the logic board.

If you have a MacBook Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa/Penryn, there is only one temperature sensor.

Step 16

Remove the four Phillips screws securing the heat sink to the lower case.
Be sure to secure the ground loop for the speaker cable beneath the screw in the lower right corner when replacing the heat sink.
If you have a MacBook Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa/Penryn, the two Philips screws on the right are in a different location.

Remove the four Phillips screws securing the heat sink to the lower case.

Be sure to secure the ground loop for the speaker cable beneath the screw in the lower right corner when replacing the heat sink.

If you have a MacBook Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa/Penryn, the two Philips screws on the right are in a different location.

Step 17

Lift the heat sink out of the computer, making sure the black tape doesn’t catch on the heat sink.
If you need to mount the heat sink back into the laptop, we have a thermal paste guide that makes replacing the thermal compound easy.

Lift the heat sink out of the computer, making sure the black tape doesn’t catch on the heat sink.

If you need to mount the heat sink back into the laptop, we have a thermal paste guide that makes replacing the thermal compound easy.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      116 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 6 other contributors

                    iRobot

Member since: 09/24/2009

1 Reputation

                                      646 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       36







                                                        +33 more badges

laurids wiemer - Mar 3, 2012

what if the black felt tape is dissolve itself in step 13? do i have to renew it or doesnt metter? it just crumbled.

Martin Batho - Jan 21, 2016

Hi.

I love these guides, they have helped me to replace the airport card, replace the keyboard cable and modify the optibay to install a 2nd drive.

The last 2 jobs I have completed were to remove the cooling fan to clean it and the exit of the heat sink and later to remove the heat sink to renew the thermal paste conducting material.

My suggestions would be if you are going to remove the heat sink take out the cooling fan first. This is just because the removal of the heat sink is much easier if the fan is out and it’s really not too much more work and when you re-assemble make sure the black tape is really sticking down, if it’s not the full cooling will be lost and funnily enough the noise of the fan increases.

Thanks ifixit team, you have been life savers.

respect

Milton King - Mar 6, 2017

I used the guide and had no problems getting to the point of replacing the heatsink. I see how the rear heat sensor (250) clips onto the logic board but for the life of me, I cannot see how the longer sensor attaches. I see two contacts but other than the felt thing, there is no way to attach. . . What did I do wrong. . . HELP. Milt King

Antony Gibson - Nov 6, 2017

To refit the temperature sensors, ensure the cables are rooted under the clips of the heatsink. The connectors then just push down on to the motherboard pins.

cubytus - Aug 13, 2018

Question about part compatibility: the guide doesn’t show part number IF186-091-1.

Does this heatsink have sensors that need to be plugged in on the motherboard?

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need