I've run out of things to restore on my 122, so now I just messing around with things that work just fine the way they are. I was contemplating an electric fan to replace the stock version. I really like the idea of the fan working only when needed, and the extra cooling that is available when the car is idling or stuck in traffic. The only problem is that there is not enough clearance between the radiator and the stock water pump for a fan, not even the super thin ones. There is plenty of room in front of the radiator for a pusher fan. The efficiency of a pusher fan (one that mounts on front of a radiator)is about 80% of a puller fan (one that is mounted behind a radiator), so normaly pusher fans are to be avoided. I was considering purchasing a 12" Perma-Cool fan that is rated for 1650 CFM. Mounting it as a pusher would reduce the rating down to 1320 CFM (using the 80% figure). I have no idea how many CFM the original Volvo fan can produce, but I was thinking that 1320 CFM would be fine. So what I am asking is if 1350 CFM is adequate for a standard B18 engine, and more important, has anyone done this? What are the ins and outs? Maybe I should just leave everything alone - "if it's not broke - don't fix it."

OTOH, if you reeeeaaaly need a project, fabbing up a decent shroud and then posting the design for us to copy would be pretty nifty!

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Mike!

I just wanted to thank everybody for their input. I will go ahead in install a pusher fan, as many of you have already done.

I use an early Saab 99/900 n/a puller fan (swedish Electrolux, similar to some 122 wiper motors :-) mounted as a pusher in my 121. Works fine and after a few mods to the plastic mounting frame won't give you trouble with the restricted height in front of the radiator.

In my other car, two Saab 900 Turbo (old generation) fans are used as pullers. One of these Bosch units probably would pe a perfect fit even in the 122, small diameter and not that deep. And just like Evan, I like Bosch parts - quality is great and they are just right in a Volvo.

As for CFM, I don't think you should worry to much. Remember that the most difficult cooling situation is city driving, when the original fan rotates at very low speed and there is no help from car speed through air. The original design without a shroud wasn't particulary efficient, either. "Any" electric fan will move more CFM than this setup at idle/low rpms.

What you should remember, though, is that high idle loads are a nightmare with the old 30A DC generator (-1966). Consider an upgrade with a 35/55A alternator if your car has got this system.

Martin
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'65 121, '73 165

I replaced the fan in my 142 with an auxiliary pusher fan originally from a Mercedes 240D air conditioning system.

If I force it off and let the engine almost overheat, kicking the fan on brings the gauge back to normal in about 20 seconds.

And it's a Bosch, what Volvo might have used.
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'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '86 244, '87 745T

They only ever need to do anything at low speeds when the engine isn't putting out much heat. It puts out lots of heat when working hard, but presumably the car is moving briskly along when the engine is working that hard, and the movement of the car does all the air moving that needs to be done.
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I'm JohnMc, and I approved this message.

A pusher fan is just fine. You will not notice a difference. I used a 14 inch pusher as the only fan on my 82 GLT with a Ford 5.0 HO engine, and it cooled fine stuck in traffic. My Lexus has two pushers and only one ever comes on. My Camaro had two pullers, and they came on at the low speed only. The fan you have selected will cool that redblock all day long.

1350 CFM is more than adequate.

Be careful with the overall height of the fan and housing, though. A 12" fan might actually require 14" of vertical mounting space. If that's not going to fit, you can get a setup with twin smaller fans that will fit for sure.

I think the Perma-Cool will be Ok, height wise; OTOH Lee Cordner has(IIRC) a Volkswagen Scirocco dual-fan setup in his 122 which is quite nice.
I recommend against the thru-the-radiator type mounts which come with the Perma-Cool; fab something that doesn't touch the radiator core.

Lee does have a dual fan setup, but I don't know where it came from. There are aftermarket ones like that if you come up short junkyarding.

Mounting through the core scares me too, particularly as Volvo radiators have much tighter fin spacing that many others. No idea where I got the brackets I used (came out of a box of accumulated junk), but you can no doubt find something suitable at a hardware store.

i mounted the 12" perma cool as a pusher in mine, comes on at idle in the summer and that's about it. works great!