Condenser fan

Summer is pretty much here as you can see by the blowing amount of AC threads.
Here are my 5 cents.

I heard from google that there is a volvo 240 OEM condenser e-fan, is that truth?
Saw few on the ebay, but said 1990+.
Would it fit my 1988 240?
Which one I should buy, proper P/N?
How hard to mount it? Goes in front of the condenser after horns, right?
How hard to wire it, saw suggestion to directly wire to AC compressor (sounds reasonable)?

My '81 Bertone has a condenser fan mounted to the center support and sheet metal.



The fan only has any affect on cooling if stopped or below 20mph.

The Volvo version of fan operation was to use the temperature switch. Anytime the AC was operating the fan was on. Now I have to go back and pull the schematic on how the temp switch was wired without the fan. That would tell us if there was a special version of the switch.



Yes, the system without fans is completely different. The easiest solution may be to operate a relay off the compressor clutch providing power to the fan. I would not rely on the electric clutch wiring directly for the fan operation due to current draw.

smeha said:

I heard from google that there is a volvo 240 OEM condenser e-fan, is that truth?

Click to expand...

Yes. I pulled the AC system from a 93 this past spring, as did Matt86 (both of us posted threads with the details). I seem to recall that 91-93 had these pusher fans. Power was supplied from the bus area above the battery, and I believe the pusher fan is actuated when the high side pressure switch is made. This would make sense.... as the cooling load increases the high side pressure will rise. Typically I would expect this fan to operate in city traffic OR after a heat soak of the condenser.

I thought at first this fan was tied to the LH2.4 ECU, but I don't think so.

I would wire it up to a manual switch that you can control. No reason for the fan to kick on if you're cruising down the road.

i'm gonna wire on relay through AC green wire.
Thank you all, soon will be looking to buy.

My 91 has the pusher fan on it's condenser, but I never see/hear it running when the compressor kicks on. I was planning on wiring in a relay to the green clutch wire at the compressor so it's on when the clutch is engaged.

^ it could be that the fan has a thermostat switch connected at the radiator. So if your radiator temp goes up then turns on. Not really dependent on the ac.

Yes, but the pusher fan is directly over the condenser. Not sure why it would be reading off of a switch on the radiator. I will double check it when my Wife gets home tonight(since she's driving my car).

The 90-up 240 has the pressure switch located in the ac hardline just behind the condenser, which is the better way to have it switch on, not by the compressor wire, as it only needs to be on when the 90-+ cars pressure switch rises above ~350 psi (?? not exac sure but was meant for R12 cars, not higher pressure R134s systems).
I took out the pusher fan in my 91 and use the 960 puller fan instead, but have the AC pressure switch turn on the high speed fan when the AC is on, and low speed is switched by the radiator temp switch, has worked flawlesssly for 12 yrs now.
On the '88, the AC system is completely different, hoses etc may not easilly allow you to splice in a pressure sensor, and no guarantee the pressures will trigger at the same one's as the Delco systems of the 90-+ cars, so not such a good idea. Best to use a relay, triggered off a manual switch, as you don't want it on 100% of the time run off the compressor clutch, although it can work, just put in the manual switch to defeat the fan when the AC gets too cold and ices up the evaporator, which will happen if you still use R12