blackout514

hey guys, on my 93 cherokee country, i think my AC needs a recharge. when you put the AC on, it blows warm. but it takes R12. i dont want to completely overhaul my system for R134a. so, can i just put that retrofit kit on (the kit that has R134a fittings, and they screw into my compressor), and just shoot R134a into the system?

XJcountry

No you can't do that. To do a retrofit you need to overhaul the whole system to accomodate r134a.

djb383

Not sure what a complete overhaul consists of but to do a thorough conversion to r134a any remaining R12 should be properly removed, the evap and cond flushed out, accumulator and orifice tube replaced, compressor removed, drained and re-installed, PAG oil added to the accumulator and compressor, vacuum pulled on the system and refrigerant added.

Radi

You can....but won't like the results. I haven't tried it personally with an older Cherokee, but have seen it done with other vehicles. Screw on the adapters, fill with 134...then discover the cooling efficiency is terrible and the refrigerant soon leaks back out.
There are DIY-friendly R12 substitutes out there that might be a workable option if you don't want to overhaul the system. Or just fill it with R12. It's expensive...but it's still out there. (have to go to a shop to do it though)