iBook G3 12" Fan Replacement

Written By: iRobot (and one other contributor)

Comments: 15
Favorites: 3
Completions: 5

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

Suggest a time??

Introduction

Replacing a defective fan is pretty easy and will keep your laptop running cool.

Tools

Buy these tools

Parts

iBook G3 12" Fan (500/600)

Not for sale

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iBook G3 12" Fan (600+)

Not for sale

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Step 1 Battery

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

Use a coin to rotate the battery locking screw 90 degrees clockwise.
Lift the battery out of the computer.

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Step 2 Lower Case

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Don’t we need to remove the screws before the next step?

David - August 12 Reply

Step 3

Continue to run the spudger around the front, right corner. There are two tabs on the port side of the computer, one near the front corner and one near the sound out port.

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isn’t this step out of order? It belongs much later I think

panakabear - May 20 Reply

Step 4

Remove the three 5.2 mm newly-revealed Phillips screws.

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Screw sizes are 2.5mm x 6mm flat low profile head or cheese head.

XnriquX - 06/06/2010 Reply

this should be after step 12 no?

panakabear - May 20 Reply

Step 5

Use a pin (or anything you like) to remove the three rubber feet from the lower case.

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Step 6

Use a spudger or small flathead screwdriver to pry up the three metal rings that housed the rubber bumpers.

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Step 7

Remove the one 10 mm and two 20 mm hex screws using a 2mm hex. Alternatively, a T8 Torx screwdriver key will do.

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FYI, the two screws at the top of this picture are longer than the one in the middle of the case. Don't mix them up!

JuciusMaximus - 09/26/2009 Reply

Top screws are 20 mm, middle one is 10 mm. These have thread lock.

commenter - 10/13/2009 Reply

The 3 long screws (not the ones under the rubber feet) are 2.5mm x 20mm metric. Head style is cheese head. i found replacements for these at ACE hardware, for about $0.08 each in a flat head drive style which IMO are better than the hex style that can easily be stripped.

XnriquX - 06/06/2010 Reply

I'm using a T9 here as my T8 is way too small.

MN73 - 07/02/2017 Reply

Step 8

Remove the two 4.2 mm Phillips screws on either side of the battery contacts.

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Step 9

Breathe deeply. Trying times are ahead, but we promise the lower case does come off.
Push the thin rims of the lower case surrounding the battery compartment in, bending them past the tabs, and then lift up to free that corner of the lower case.

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Step 10

There is a slot on the wall of the battery compartment that locks the lower case in place. Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry out the slot's lower rim and pull up on the lower case to free the slot from the tabs holding it.

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If your iBook's been opened many times (Like mine has been) then this piece may be broken.

If it's cracked down the middle or a little off, what you'll want to do is use your bent paperclip from a few steps later (or another screwdriver) and pull the second piece away from the shell when you start lifting. should pull right out

Christian Wacker - 08/04/2010 Reply

Step 11

Run a spudger along the seam between the lower case and upper case on the front of the computer to free the tabs locking the lower case. Pull up on the lower case and continue to use the spudger as necessary until you hear three distinct clicks.

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Step 12

Once the front and sides of the lower case are free, turn the computer so that the back is facing you and pull the lower case up and toward you until the back tabs pop free (it may be helpful to jiggle the case up and down).

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You might wanna use your spudger to pry up those back tabs to. You might break the bottom case just wiggling around waiting for it to pop loose.

neato - 11/07/2009 Reply

The orange screw on my machine has no head on it and is simply a flat surface. There is no way to remove it and consequently I completely trashed my unit attempting to remove the top cover.

There went a few bucks all for nothing as I had a spare HD sitting here ready to put in!

Calum - 05/03/2010 Reply

Be aware that you may need to use a spudger at the front of the computer to separate the metal shield from the bottom case.

michael leahy - 05/06/2012 Reply

Step 13

Remove the small greasy springs with white plastic caps from either side of the battery contacts.

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Step 14 Bottom Shield

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Step 15

Remove the five 5.8 mm Phillips screws from the bottom shield.
Peel back the yellow tape and foil shielding outlined in the image.

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Upper left screw is 4.5 mm and has smaller head. The other four are 6 mm.

commenter - 10/13/2009 Reply

Don't peel back the long foil shielding pictured top right! It should stay attached to the bottom shield that you are removing.

neato - 11/07/2009 Reply

Quote from commenter:

Upper left screw is 4.5 mm and has smaller head. The other four are 6 mm.

All of the five screws are the same 6 mm in length (iBook G3 600 MHz)

florguh - 01/23/2010 Reply

Step 16

Lift the bottom shield off.

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Step 17 Fan

Your laptop should look approximately like this.

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Step 18

Remove the single Phillips screw on the left side of the fan (there may be two screws).
Lift the fan out of its housing and disconnect it from the logic board.

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