[Vwdiesel] Diagnosis help/confirmation needed

[lbaird119 at aol.com]

Patient:  1996 Passat TDI Wagon

Symptom:  Low pressure differential between high and low sides of A/C

Treatments Tried:  New expansion valve - no change, compressor transplant from a Jetta donor - no change or even less pressure differential.

Concerns:  Was told that about this era, the compressors went to a variable compressor so a non fully charged system will yield nearly no pressure differential.  Do not believe this is a variable output compressor though.  Anybody know for sure?

Tests other than a variant of a sphygmomanometer, was to seperate the lines from the expansion valve and do a physical "feel" of the suction and pressure from the compressor.  Light pressure from my pinkie held back the pressure from the compressor.

Diagnosis:  I feel that I had a compressor go bad and Murphy came through and made sure I got another one with pretty much the same problem.  Before I order another one, I just wanted to get a consensus on my diagnosis or if someone sees something I missed...  When it's obvious what the problem is, and it's the same problem you just fixed, I get a little leary that I'm missing something.
    Loren