Sunder,

I have close to 150,000 miles on it. I would consider selling the 97 and buying the latest TJ, but I don't think they get as good of milage

I'm just wondering how much longer you plan on having the jeep. Technically Bill and Marty are right; you should always vacuum out the system after servicing it. That said, I install a lot of those r134a "Conversion" kits on old R12 systems. Most of them have been empty for as long as the owner remembers, or I need to pull the system apart and replace o-rings. They are all on higher mileage vehicles (my own included) and I never evacuate the system after I've had it open. I just don't have the tools, and I don't wanna spend more than I have to. Now my neighbors 89 XJ has been running the wrong refrigerant for almost 7 years in a system that had a bad hose and empty/open system... If you don't plan on owning your jeep for another decade, I'd save the money.

Sunder it must be awfully dry where you live. Around here one would get ice in the expansion valve, in a heartbeat, if we did that..
Big Jim

I've done it up and down the coast, and where I live now. Doesn't appear to hurt anything... Then again, I might be one lucky devil <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />

I'm just saying, In an older vehicle I don't want to dump a lot of money in, I'd do it.

I usually tap the AC repairman at work to vac my cars down and hand them a couple of cans or R134. I just need to get the time now to take the jeep apart to examine the coil and replace it if it is actually the problem.

I was wrong on the milage, she just turned 162,000

Sometimes, by removing the blower resistor from the housing, you can look inside the case at the evap coil and see if there is any oil staining from a leak. A/C UV dye and a black light helps with this.

A shade tree method of evacuating the A/C system, at least partially, is to make up a fitting with hoses that would allow you to connect the A/C to an intake manifold vacuum port. Use an old brake booster check valve to prevent the vacuum from dropping when you open the throttle. Under hard decel, you can get about 25" vacuum doing this. Note: If you do this, it is very important that any R-12 is gone from the system, as it makes highly poisonous gas when it's burnt!

Some old timers would salvage a compressor from an old refrigerator to make a vacuum pump out of it. Here's one link:

http://www.paragoncode.com/shop/vacuum_pump/

I have a friend who bought a vacuum pump from Harbor Freight that uses you air compressor to make the vacuum that I will probably try first. I'll let the Forum know how it works out.

But first I need to figure how to remove the evaporator!