Hello..i went thru the same dilemma a few years ago..asked everybody..got all kinda answers..the bottom line was that i would have to spend a fortune..or replace things so a shop can refill my R12....my car was an 88300E...so i didnt really wanna spend all that money in just to get cold air..so i just bought the adapter niple a few cans of R134 some oil..released the old gasses.filled it with somke oil and 2 cans of R134..released it(flushed it) refilled it again ...and it worked works ever since...