Nuts and Bolts with Buffalo Jim

Hey Buffalo Jim,

My mechanic recently told me that I should convert the air conditioner in my 1981 Jeep Cherokee Wagoneer from R-12 Freon to R134a. He says the job will cost me about $150 up front, but it will save me money in the long run. Am I getting snowed?

Back when I first opened up my shop in 1970, R-12 Freon cost something like 19 cents a pound. I mean, the stuff was so cheap that we used it to freeze six packs of beer at the end of the day. Of course, that was back before we found out that Freon ate away the ozone layer like brake fluid on a fresh coat of paint. After that, it wasn't long until the government banned the manufacture of R-12 and the price of recycled Freon skyrocketed to more than $80 a pound.

Nowadays, all new cars are outfitted with R134a--a Freon substitute that's not only better for the environment, it's about $70 cheaper than a pound of R-12. Every car built after 1994 uses R134a, but older vehicles still need R-12 for their air-conditioning systems to function. The price, though, can really take a bite out of your summer beer budget. Or, as your mechanic correctly noted, you could convert your system over to 134a, which is possible in virtually every type of car. All he has to do is swap out the receiver-dryer and change a few fittings. With the right aftermarket kit, you could even do the job yourself, but it's cheap enough that it really makes sense to have it done by a pro.

The only drag is that a lot of people say R134a doesn't blow as cold as the original. But here's the good news, bro: I've found in the shop that R134a will actually keep a car about five degrees cooler than R-12. So that old dinosaur stuff might have good enough to freeze beer back in the day, but R134a is where it's at now. Plus, it'll save you enough dough to keep your cooler stocked with suds for the entire summer.

Buffalo Jim is the owner of Allstate Auto Marine. He loves the smell of carburetor cleaner in the morning. E-mail questions to buffalojim@lasvegasmercury.com.