97 &> A/C system in a 92 Cherokee? Can it be done?

Hello and thanks for reading!

I am rebuilding my 1992 XJ sport, new stroked 4.7ish motor and lots of other upgrades. I intend to post updates soon. As I'm putting the engine in I'm upgrading everything I can, brakes, steering, etc. When it comes to AC I pulled a system out of a 97 that had a bad motor but AC worked when it was running. I disconnected the lines at the firewall and took all the components under the hood. I did not however, take the evaporator.

Is it possible to get this system to work well with the old evaporator?

If not then, could I fit a new 97 &> evaporator inside the heater box in my 92 or would this be crazy to attempt?

I gotta get AC in this thing! It's South Texas and the heat is coming!

Thanks in advance for your insights.
GySgt Mullen

You can do anything you set your mind to!

In the next week or so...........


I'm making a youtube vid that I will email to jeepair.com explaining precisely what I want to do with mine.

I will be mixing new 88 compressor and evap with new hoses and probably a Patriot/Compass condenser and dryer.

Opposite of what you are doing........more or less.......

Call jeepair and see if they can help.



Parts are cheap, you can replace your entire system for under $500......I'm guessing.

I'm going this route as I need a custom hose/condenser arrangement.

Should be no issue using the 92 evaporator, it may have different size fittings....adapters?

And if that doesn't work out, the 97 evaporator is actually a few millimeters smaller each direction, so it should fit, maybe a tiny bit loose.

Jeepair has been awesome, they have replied every day to three emails.
this is from them today:
"They are pretty close dimensionally:

1992 Evap: (JohnX... knows his sh!t)
Height 270mm
Width 254mm
Depth: 80mm

1997 Evap:
Height 248mm
Width 255mm
Depth 80mm

Unfortunately we are unsure of the controls, you would probably have to swap them as well because of the different electrical components"

I am going to buy the evap from them along with the o-rings for the whole shabang and see where I get.

I'll post updates and pics once complete.
I assume there are other 96 or older XJ owners who'd like information on this conversion.

thanks all!:eeks1:

GySgt Mullen

Sounds like you have everything figured out. Keep in mind that 22mm is not that small of a measurement. You may need to come up with something to fill that Gap. Toolbox foam would be a good option. It's dense but pliable. Not saying you can't just put it in and roll. But you may end up hearing it bounce around in the box.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Following. I would like to add ac to my 92 mj eventually

Whatever you use as filler...........it will stay wet.

Soft porous foam will be a mold Petri dish.

Jeep Driver said:

Whatever you use as filler...........it will stay wet.

Soft porous foam will be a mold Petri dish.

Click to expand...

Absolutely, make a spacer out of plastic or a solid rubber...like heater hose.

Alright I made a spacer out of some 1/4 adhesive backed sound deadener mat, like cheapo Walmart dynamat. The trickiest part is the thermometer stuck through the side of the 92 style. I decided to split the copper tube containing the temp sensor and I only used about half of it. Relocated the little box that normally holds copper tube to the inside of the box, secured with a zip tie and slid the end of the copper tube that remained into the center of the coil. I used heat shrink and the tail of a zip tie to fortify and protect the exposed wire between the box and the remaining copper. The system all lines up now.

My only question now is what to do with the two sensors that were wired into the 97? I'm not sure my 92 system even had and sensors at all.

I also took this opportunity to swap out the heater core if anyone was wondering.

Thank you all for you comments and insight, especially the one about not using porous material, think the rubbery tar stuff will be good.