Thanks for the info about the pressure gauge!!  Maybe it can save somebody else like us who gets told that we need a new compressor and there was nothing wrong with it in the beginning!!  Fortunately, we tried other things before having the work done and the air conditioning works fine now.  Cost us $80 to have it "checked out", but at least we didn't have the work done.  My brother in law added compressor lubricant and it seemed to do the trick.

Bob & Sharon Mendonca
88 Vanagon GL
88 Westy