Overheating question

This summer I will be driving from Florida to Oklahoma. There are several routes that I can take, but more then likely I will be staying in warm areas. My AC went out a few years ago and I never bothered to replace but I am thinking about putting a new compressor in (pretty sure that's the problem). Will running AC lead to my motor overheating? I plan on staying on highways for the trip. My Jeep is a 98 w/175K.

I don't see how it would? as long as your running a well-maintained cooing system, you should be fine. Expecially at highway speeds, there is alot of air moving through the radiator. Moving fast is the best way to keep your motor cool. If you have doubts, keep an eye on your temp gauge. Even at slow speeds you will be OK. When your compressor kicks on, the electric fan will kick on, as well as when your coolant begins to exceed a certain temp. As long as everything is working well, you should enjoy a nice cool trip! Good luck!

Even when a cooling system is "perfect", on some days when the heat is high enough, the humidity is just right, and enough load is placed on the engine you may have to turn off the a/c for a short time to prevent overheating.

A small inconvenience for not sweating like a pig the rest of the time.