Topic: How Difficult is it to Add Air Conditioning?

[sharpxmen]

Switch to CO2

nah, i'll stick with oba, will figure out something.

[DanMarino]

I can get the air conditioning system from a 1995 YJ for $350.  I'm not sure if I should go for it or go with an entire new system.  $600 is a lot of money to me, but it's not worth it if the used system is garbage.

[Jeffy]

I can get the air conditioning system from a 1995 YJ for $350.  I'm not sure if I should go for it or go with an entire new system.  $600 is a lot of money to me, but it's not worth it if the used system is garbage.

Well that's pretty much what it boils down to.  AC units as a whole are fineky and they do have problems when they get older.  It's fairly common for an unused AC unit in a car to leak if not used regularly.  You have to run it even in the winter so the seals get lubed and don't dry out.  I think that's the biggest concern.

[sharpxmen]

I can get the air conditioning system from a 1995 YJ for $350.  I'm not sure if I should go for it or go with an entire new system.  $600 is a lot of money to me, but it's not worth it if the used system is garbage.

did you find a complete one for $600, so far $900 was the lowest one and included the compressor. I'd say $600 is a heck of a deal and it's worth over the used one at $350

[jfrabat]

I'm not sure if the aftermarket unit does it but I know on most modern cars the AC compressor turns off when you rev the engine up really high so you won't have any power loss.  You just need to remember to turn off the AC for hills and such which wouldn't be that big a deal.  I'd rather be cool and driving slow then flying up the hill and be sweating like a pig.

I have AC on mine, and the power loss is not THAT bad.  In fact, when I drive from Panama to San Jose, Costa Rica, I always do it with the AC on, and that drive, apart from being 520 miles, goes from sea level to about 3800 feet up (and considering San Jose is in a Valley, and that you have to go OVER the mountains to get here, I probably go a bit higher than that)...

[SDWE61988]

I have also considered installing an AC system on my Yj.  I like to have the top down and the doors off as much as possible during the summer, however, that does you no good when you are sitting on the interstate in stop and go traffic. The heat & humidity in the DC area is pretty brutal( I grew up in NH).  If I can scrap the money together I might do that this summer.

[MarkyB]

I have the Jeep Air kit on my TJ.
We installed the parts and then took it to have the system charged.
Which was another couple hundred $$.
I had compressor problems because the guy I took it to for charging was a doofus.
Jeep Air warranteed the compressor.

You might want to add a bigger cooling fan as the ac does make the engine run warmer.

[Torch_Ind]

I have the Jeep Air kit on my TJ.
We installed the parts and then took it to have the system charged.
Which was another couple hundred $$.
I had compressor problems because the guy I took it to for charging was a doofus.
Jeep Air warranteed the compressor.

You might want to add a bigger cooling fan as the ac does make the engine run warmer.

how did the guy charging it kill a compressor? that doesn't make any sense?

[MarkyB]

The compressor came with oil already in it.  The instructions were clear on the fact that the compressor had the recommended amount of oil in it.
Doofus took it upon himself to pour the oil out and to put back what he thought was enough.
It lasted about a week.  Only then did I find out what he did.
Took it to another shop to repair and that shop told me the first guy was a former employee.
He wouldn't elaborate but said there was a reason the guy wasn't working there any more.

[Torch_Ind]

The compressor came with oil already in it.  The instructions were clear on the fact that the compressor had the recommended amount of oil in it.
Doofus took it upon himself to pour the oil out and to put back what he thought was enough.
It lasted about a week.  Only then did I find out what he did.
Took it to another shop to repair and that shop told me the first guy was a former employee.
He wouldn't elaborate but said there was a reason the guy wasn't working there any more.

so the compressor you have has a separate oiling system? that you can check from time to time? or is it just suppose to float around in the a/c system?

I have seen both styles. and if he drained your oil out he was a "doofus" then. because he would also run the chance of putting in the wrong oil as well.

sorry for being nosy but I had to ask lol

[MarkyB]

Jeep Air had actually backordered the compressor initially.
When it came, we had Doofus install it and charge it. The oil was inside it and was meant to circulate with the freon.

Although it is my understanding that the oil settles into the bottom of the compressor.

[Jeffy]

Jeep Air had actually backordered the compressor initially.
When it came, we had Doofus install it and charge it. The oil was inside it and was meant to circulate with the freon.

Although it is my understanding that the oil settles into the bottom of the compressor.

Yeah, they explicitly say do not add oil to the compressor.

Did you get the OE compressor or the universal?

[MarkyB]

I got the kit in 2009. I don't know which one I got, but I can say the compressor bolted right up to the existing bracket.

[Jeffy]

I got the kit in 2009. I don't know which one I got, but I can say the compressor bolted right up to the existing bracket.

That' the OE compressor then.  The universal uses a mounting bracket on top of the existing bracket.

[dwtaylorpdx]

On my 94 I had the Jeep ac put on when I bought the jeep brand new.

The places on the firewall where holes and such need put are all marked in the sheetmetal.

It only took the dealer about 2 hours to install.

Love being out wheeling in Eastern OR and being cool.

Note: the AC condenser and the power steering hoses are very close to each other.
Make sure post install they dont rub. It will crack the condenser tube.

Dave