Seeing if the system is leaking is where I would start. This is the most logical and LEAST expensive area to begin and will be the basis for most common problems. M comments to leathermang I hope amuse you, but I want you to be safe here, especially with children in the car because their safety depends on the bolt behind the wheel! Think logically! Would you put a lot of money into this and let it go? There are only 2 reasons I can think of, someone got lazy and careless or something happened that would require a lot more time and money. Some people give up on the system entirely when the evaporator goes, which doesn't happen often but others here on this forum have had to replace theirs. This is the unit that looks like a little radiator on the INSIDE of the cat that removes the heat and delivers cold air.

This part is a pain to change because so much of the dash has to come out to get to it and the inside of your car looks like a war zone when all is removed! However, in moist climates, moisture and debri can clog up an evaporator causing the aluminum to corrode and leak because it's packed and clogged up with dirt, ;eaves and adding moisture will make metals rot. This will let gas from your AC system into the Passenger compartment of your car when the occupants can breathe it. 7 deaths from R134A have already occured in the US. I don't want you or your kids to become more of them. If your new compressor is designed for R134A, then even I would have serious thoughts about using anything else.

But be warned! There is one case where a man tried to fill his own system with R134A in an eclosed outbuilding garage without making sure everything was working properly AND in good condition. After putting more than 2 cans of R134A into it, a hose exploded which should have been replaced and the concentration of R134A he was breathing has left him with PERMANENT brain damage! He is on disability, can no longer work and has to have his meals made for him and should be in convalescent care, because of breathing R134A. This is currently in litigation, so it was pretty much removed from the wire service. Essentially, he is now in a semi vegetative state!

I may be a risk taker. I hang glide through the Grand Canyon, was back on a motorcycle after being hit by a car that sent me 25 feet into the air where I laneded on the other side of the highway only to be run over by a black Hyudai going the other way that couldn't stop, made a device that would allow me to shift gears on my BMW R100RS while my leg was still in a cast once I recovered from being in traction for two weeks! Now I skydive out of airplanes with a parachute and the left side of my body is held to gether with metals and most people would never notice. I still run, walk my dogs and go horseback riding in the Superstitions with a body that basically is living tissue over a metal endoskeleton from my left hip down!

At the same time, I have never been in a serious accident I was responsible for, have a 23 year driving history of not one moving violation or even a parking infraction and am a commercially licensed Class A truck driver with endorsements! I'm not afraid of getting hurt, I guess, but the idea of being brain dead and having to have someone feed me and change my clothes or wipe my A$$, well i would rather be dead! Niow you know why I use HC's! A fire has some personal responsibility in it and warnig when something goes wrong because the odorant in HC's is strong like the odorant in Propane or Natural gas, that's true. Envirosafe has an odorant like a combo of smelling salts and pine tar, but it is not for everyone. Now you know the difference between me and Leathermang.

Just be carefull with your system, inadequate care regardless of what you use for refrigerant has it's costs and consequences!

In the meantime, Leathermang and I will probably hammer each other from time to time, sort of like monday night football!

Think about it and act accordingly. I wont tell you or anyone what to do.
Just a little background from a Republican Goldwater Libertarian who believes real freedom has rights and responsibilities!