Dan, you've got a major leak. No point in adding refrigerant until you fix it.  There is an expansion valve on the evaporator in the back cabinet that is often responsible for this.  If this is a Westy, it requires dropping the cabinet, which requires removing the plenum, which requires removing the storage tray above the sink., etc., (see the Bentley) to access it.  With any luck you won't need to remove the rear cabinet too.

You could lower the cabinet and take the van to the shop, or buy an A/C vacuum pump, fix the leak, and refill it yourself.  I recommend the shop!  Doing the work to gain access will save you a lot of money.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dan N
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 5:33 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: A/C trouble... please help

thanks John,

that's what I am thinking to. I went to a shop to service the A/C.. the
mechanic asked me to turn on to A/C before doing anything... NOTHING... the
clutch was not ON just the fan...

he gave me 2 choices.. go home and trouble shoot myself and come back or
let the van there and he will do it with a fat bill... so I went home,
tried, read the Bentley and tried again.. and ask question around...

I unscrew the blue cap on the compressor, stuck in a screw driver and
nothing came out of it.. not even a faint hiss...sooooo..and I got the very
same feeling as yours... we will try to put some freon in it and try again
tomorrow..

thanks for the reply

dan