An A/C shop will have to do the vacuum if you don't have the equipment.

I have a sniffer, if there is pressure in the system it will find something like 5ppm, it doesn't sound like you have enough pressure for that method however.

If there's little or no pressure, you have a leak (or leaks). The questions are where and how much does it leak, and whether it's something like an evaporator which is expensive and a 2-day replacement job.

It's probably best to see how bad the hydraulic part of the system is before you knock yourself out troubleshooting the electrical, the electrical portion can IMO always be fixed.

When the A/C works on that car, it is a very good system. Mine blows cold, doesn't overheat in any traffic, makes me happy.

On the electrical side, ... with the A/C switched on MAX, short across the low-pressure switch momentarily to see if the compressor clutch pulls in.

The high-pressure switch should turn on the fan low-speed (if the resistor isn't toast).

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff