I'm well under way on my 603 powered s123 project. Finally selected a radiator and mounted it. Now I'm onto getting an electric fan.
Pertinent information: - This will be a pusher fan, there is less than 3 inches between the radiator and the front of the engine.
- There will be an a/c condensor (yet to be chosen) in front of the radiator
- I'm not going to modify the car body
I'm using the Nissens radiator for a 87 300TD. Cooling area dimensions are 24 x 18 inches --> 432 in^2
It seems that the consensus is that you want 70% of your cooling surface to be covered by a fan or shroud. This is going to be a pusher, so a shroud doesn't really help (as it would block air traveling through by motion of the vehicle).
So that's 302.4 in^2 that I need covered.
I've done a little math to try to figure out what I could get on the surface of the radiator and what would each setup cover.
2 x 10in fans
78.5 x 2 = 157 in^2
2 x 12in fans
113 x 2 = 226 in^2
1 x 16 in fans
201 in^2
I don't think I can get anything bigger than a pair of 12in fans or a single 16 in fan in front of the radiator/condenser (things start getting in the way).
Additionally I've read that a pusher fan is 15% less efficient than the same fan mounted as a puller.
So I'm left asking the question, is that enough cooling or should I be worried/looking for another option.