MacBook Air (M2, 2022) Heat Sink

Before You Begin

Remove the following part before you begin:

Tools

  • Access card

  • Adjustable torque driver (10-34 Ncm)

  • Antenna tool

  • ESD-safe tweezers

  • Ethanol wipes or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) wipes

  • Kapton tape

  • Nitrile gloves

  • Nylon probe (black stick)

  • Safety glasses with side shields

  • Torque driver (blue, 0.65 kgf cm)

  • Thermal gel

  • Thermal gel stencil

  • Torx Plus 3IP 25 mm bit

  • Torx T3 half-moon bit

  • Torx T5 bit

Important

  • The heat sink can’t be reused. Always install a replacement heat sink.

  • Thermal gel is required for this procedure. Thermal gel is included with a replacement heat sink.

Removal

  1. Use the ESD-safe tweezers to peel the foam from the display connectors cowling to access the middle screw.

  2. Insert the Torx T3 bit into the blue torque driver. Then use the blue torque driver and Torx T3 bit to remove 18 T3 screws (923-07277) from the following eight cowlings:

    • Lid angle sensor/audio board connector cowling (1)

    • Interposer board connector cowling (2)

    • Right speaker connector cowling (3)

    • Display connectors cowling (4)

    • Antenna coaxial cables connector cowling (5)

    • Left speaker connector cowling (6)

    • MagSafe 3 board/USB-C boards connector cowling (7)

    • Trackpad connector cowling (8)

  3. Remove seven cowlings (1-7) and save them for reassembly.

    • Note: The trackpad connector cowling (8) is adhered to the trackpad flex cable. It doesn’t need to be removed for this repair.

  4. Use the black stick to lift the end of the right antenna coaxial cable off the connector.

  5. Insert the Torx T5 bit into the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver. Then use the adjustable torque driver and Torx T5 bit to remove the two T5 screws (923-07292) from the heat sink.

  6. Insert the 3IP bit into the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver. Then use the adjustable torque driver and 3IP bit to remove the four middle 3IP screws (923-07288) from the heat sink.

  7. Use the adjustable torque driver and 3IP bit to remove the two side 3IP screws (923-07290) from the heat sink.

  8. Lift the end of the trackpad flex cable and trackpad connector cowling off the connector.

  9. Tape the trackpad flex cable out of the way with Kapton tape as shown.

    • Caution: Don’t fold or crease the flex cable.

  10. Put on the gloves and safety glasses with side shields.

    • Caution: Thermal gel can discolor your skin and clothes. Ensure that you wear the gloves and safety glasses while working with the thermal gel.

  11. Gently tilt up the left side of the heat sink as shown.

  12. Continue to gently remove the heat sink from left to right as shown, releasing the clips that attach the heat sink to the logic board. Lift the top and bottom of the heat sink alternately and as evenly as possible to disengage the clips.

  13. Use ethanol or IPA wipes to clean the thermal gel from the chip on the logic board. Ensure that you clean off any thermal gel remaining on other parts as well.

    • Important

      • Ensure that the wipes aren’t dripping with liquid. If they are, use a paper towel to absorb the excess liquid from the wipe.

      • If needed for more precise cleaning, wrap a wipe around the black stick to clean the chip. Don’t scratch the chip by applying too much pressure with the black stick.

    • Before

    • After

Reassembly

  1. Put on the gloves and safety glasses with side shields.

  2. Position the thermal gel stencil over the logic board.

  3. Insert the 3IP bit into the blue torque driver. Then use the blue torque driver and 3IP bit to partially reinstall the two 3IP screws into the thermal gel stencil and logic board as shown.

  4. Apply the thermal gel to the thermal gel stencil. Ensure that you fill all 12 squares in the stencil as shown.

  5. Gently press the access card downward across the thermal gel stencil to scrape off the excess thermal gel.

  6. Using the same side of the access card, gently press the access card upward across the thermal gel stencil.

    • Note: Ensure that all 12 squares in the stencil are filled with thermal gel. If the squares aren’t completely filled with thermal gel, repeat steps 5 and 6 until they are. Then continue to step 7.

  7. Insert the 3IP bit into the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver. Then use the adjustable torque driver and 3IP bit to remove the two 3IP screws from the thermal gel stencil and logic board.

  8. Use ESD-safe tweezers to grasp one side of the thermal gel stencil while holding the other side of the stencil in place. Then remove the stencil from the top case.

    • Important: Ensure that the thermal gel application is applied as shown after the thermal gel stencil is removed.

  9. Position the right side of the replacement heat sink in the top case as shown. Then gently press down on the lower right corner to engage the clips next to the USB-C boards.

  10. Moving left, continue positioning the heat sink in the top case while engaging the clips (1). Stop at the battery flex cable connector (2). Then press the heat sink down to engage the clips near the trackpad flex cable connector (3).

  11. Keep the 3IP bit in the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver. Then use the adjustable torque driver and 3IP bit to partially reinstall the four 3IP screws (923-07288) into the heat sink in the order shown.

  12. With the 3IP bit still in the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver, set the torque value to 11.5 Ncm.

  13. Use the adjustable torque driver and 3IP bit to fully reinstall the four 3IP screws in the order shown.

  14. Gently press on the heat sink over the chip to adhere the heat sink to the chip.

  15. Gently press the heat sink to engage the remaining clips as shown.

  16. Ensure that all the clips between the heat sink and the logic board are engaged.

  17. Keep the 3IP bit in the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver. Ensure that the torque value is still set to 11.5 Ncm.

  18. Use the adjustable torque driver and 3IP bit to reinstall two 3IP screws (923-07290) into the left side of the heat sink.

  19. Insert the Torx T5 bit into the 10-34 Ncm adjustable torque driver. Set the torque value to 10 Ncm.

  20. Use the adjustable torque driver and Torx T5 bit to reinstall the two T5 screws (923-07292) into the heat sink.

  21. Remove the Kapton tape from trackpad flex cable.

  22. Press the end of the trackpad flex cable and trackpad connector cowling to the connector.

  23. Insert the Torx T3 bit into the blue torque driver. Then use the blue torque driver and Torx T3 bit to reinstall the two T3 screws (923-07277) into the trackpad connector cowling.

  24. Use the black stick or ESD-safe tweezers to position the end of the right antenna coaxial cable over the connector. Then use the blunt end of the antenna tool to press the end of the antenna coaxial cable to the connector.

  25. Position the following seven cowlings (1-7):

    • Lid angle sensor/audio board connector cowling (1)

    • Interposer board connector cowling (2)

    • Right speaker connector cowling (3)

    • Display connectors cowling (4)

    • Antenna coaxial cables connector cowling (5)

    • Left speaker connector cowling (6)

    • MagSafe 3 board/USB-C boards connector cowling (7)

  26. Use ESD-safe tweezers to peel the foam from the display connectors cowling to access the middle screw hole.

  27. Keep the Torx T3 bit in the blue torque driver. Then use the blue torque driver and Torx T3 bit to reinstall the 16 T3 screws (923-07277) into the seven cowlings (1-7).

    • Caution: Don’t connect the battery flex cable (8) or you may damage the logic board.

  28. Press along the length of the foam on the display connectors cowling to adhere it to the cowling.

Reinstall the following part to complete reassembly:

Published Date: