Mac Pro Late 2013 Interconnect Board Replacement

Written By: Andrew Optimus Goldheart

Comments: 19

Mac Pro Late 2013 Interconnect Board Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

The interconnect board hosts connections to the logic board, IO board, and both GPUs. Use this guide to remove and replace the interconnect board.

Tools

Step 1

Slide the lock switch to the right, to the unlocked position.

Step 2

Lift the outer case straight up off the Mac Pro.
It may help to push down on the center of the fan while lifting the case up.

Step 3

Remove five 5.1 mm T10 Torx screws from around the outer perimeter of the fan assembly.

You don't have to remove the fan assy to get to the wifi board & card. It can be done with the fan assy still attached.

Fat Mango - 18/05/17

Fat Mango is correct. That said. If you do pull the fan assembly note that the screws are all held in with blue Permatex and breaking them free takes a fair amount of effort. Getting a good set of Torx screwdrivers is a must.

Jim WIlson - 27/05/18

Hey guys, what would happen if you only replace one card.. I have a D300 but the plan is to upgrade to D500 or D600. So If I can afford and install one instead of the pair would it increase something? or will it cause any conflict? I guess I don’t understand if I the Mac Pro has 2 D300 graphic cards that means each has 1GB? Same as If I would Install 1 D600 that would increase 3GB only? Thanks.

marcotamayo - 05/05/19

D300 = 2GB each card. Very few apps uses two cards at the same time.

Gio Cas - 21/12/20

The (5) Screws are Apple part number 923-0713

Steven Gier - 27/12/19

Step 4

The fan assembly is attached to the rest of the computer by two cables on the IO board side.
Tilt the assembly up away from the IO board.
Do not try to remove the fan assembly yet, as it is still attached by two cables.

Step 5

While supporting the fan assembly with one hand, loosen the two T8 captive screws in the fan cable bracket.
These screws are captive in the Mac Pro. Do not try to remove these screws from your Mac Pro.

On my Mac Pro (assembled mid-2017) these are T8 screws. In fact, there were no T7 screws anywhere in my machine.

mark33 - 25/01/18

There was no bracket on top of the cable at all, so I got a bit confused, so I had to skip step 5 and 6.

Rakesh - 19/11/19

On my machine, a TR7 worked to remove them due to the weird angle.

Wilson Gaberino -

Step 6

Use a pair of tweezers to pull the fan cable bracket away from the fan assembly.

Step 7

Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the fan assembly ribbon cable from the IO board.

Step 8

Disconnect the fan assembly antenna cable from the IO board.
Remove the fan assembly from the Mac Pro.

You don't have to remove the fan assy to do the steps below. They can be done with the fan assy still attached.

Fat Mango - 18/05/17

Step 9

Flip the Mac Pro upside down, 180 degrees.
Remove five 5.1 mm T10 Torx screws from the outer perimeter of the lower case.

Step 10

Carefully lift the lower case up and remove it from the Mac Pro.

Step 11

Use the flat end of a spudger and a twisting motion to gently separate one side of the graphics card data connection.

Step 12

Gently separate the other side as well.
Flip the connector up and out of the way of the graphics card.
Repeat this procedure on the other graphics card.

Step 13

Remove the two 6.0 mm T8 Torx screws securing the interconnect board to the heat sink.

These are actually 6.0mm T8 Torx Screws. 12/07/2016.

Todd - 08/12/16

Ended up being T9 screws for me.

Nathaniel Wilson - 25/01/18

On my Mac Pro (assembled mid-2017) these are T8 screws. In fact, there were no T7 screws anywhere in my machine.

mark33 - 25/01/18

These are T8 screws in my 2013 Mac Pro.

Sangers - 25/01/21

T8 screws for me, i did and edit to this step

Steve McGinn -

Ended up being T15 screws on my machine

Spencer Curtis -

Step 14

Gently walk the interconnect board straight up off the logic board's slot connection.
It is recommended to lift one side and then the other.
Do not try to remove the interconnect board from the Mac Pro yet, as it is still connected to the IO board.

Step 15

Flip the interconnect board up and over, exposing the IO board data cable.
Use the same sort of twisting and spreading motion with the flat end of a spudger to separate one side of the IO board data cable.

Step 16

Use the flat end of a spudger to separate the other side of the IO board data cable.
Bend the cable out of the way and remove the interconnect board from the Mac Pro.