Originally Posted by Air&Road

First you need to make SURE what the problem is. It sounds as if the case might be that you only have a bad or misadjusted clutch. Try jumping 12V directly to the clutch and see if it engages. If it is not engaging, do some research and check the air gap. If the air gap is not excessive and the clutch still does not engage, replace only the clutch.

If you can get by with adjusting or replacing the clutch, you will be saving yourself a HUGE amount of work, due to all the disassembling for flushing, replacing, and evacuation that accompanies compressor replacement.

Assuming that the clutch engages with the 12V jump AND the Climate Control Unit (CCU) is giving the proper signal, then you might have a bad compressor. If it IS the compressor itself to a point where it must be replaced and it failed internally, all line connections will have to be broken and the lines thoroughly flushed of debris. The expansion valve needs to be replaced, but if you can see it well enough to know that it is properly flushed, you can leave it be, with the understanding that it will compromise the new compressor warranty.

In the case of a catastrophic compressor failure, you should indeed replace the r/d and it is in the passenger side front of the engine compartment. Do not install the new r/d until EVERYTHING ELSE is complete and reassembled. Be ready with the vacuum pump and install the r/d and immediately began evacuation. The reason for this is that the dessicate in the r/d begins absorbing moisture as soon as it is open, so you want to begin evacuation so that it does not saturate before it has a chance to dry the system.

Also, any time you are working on the a/c system of one of these cars, remove the glove box and ensure that the soft line going across to the center vent in the dash is intact. It originally was a foam hose that deteirorated and disappeared in a few years time. Foam pipe insulation from Home Depot makes a good substitute because it does not conduct heat very well at all and there is no significant pressure to be dealt with.

Hope this helps.