MacBook Air 13" Mid 2011 Fan Replacement

Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove ten screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:

Two 9 mm screws

Eight 2.6 mm screws

Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.

Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Grab the clear plastic pull tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the Air to disconnect the battery from the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the I/O board cable connector upward out of its socket on the I/O board.

Carefully peel the I/O board cable from the top of the fan.

While gently pulling the I/O board cable upward near its connection to the logic board, use the tip of a spudger to pry upward on alternating sides of the connector to help "walk" it out of its socket.

Remove the I/O board cable.

Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.

Peel the rubber gasket off the adhesive on the top of the fan.

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:

One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw

One 2.7 mm T5 Torx screw

One 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw with a short head

Lift the fan out of the upper case and carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove it from the Air.