Have a 89-740 Turbo Wagon that just passed 200k last week. When purchased a few months ago, the non-Volvo mechanic/dealer had to convert to R134 to fix a non-functioning system. After the so called fix (under 30 day warranty)I reported back to him that it was not nearly as cold as my 93 Subaru had been and in fact was not cold at all. It has been slightly cold or cool when running. He stated that the R134 never really gets cold and that was that. Since then for the past five-six weeks it has been ok, not great but enough to take the hot edge off when driving. I have not felt any decline or difference over this period of time. This morning I drove the car & no AC at all. Worked fine last night,today nothing. Can hear the compressor short-cycling for a few seconds at a time on/off when the selector switch is set to cooling, this is constant if left in that position. Since I'm am not a DIY & have limited overall mechanical knowledge as it relates to auto's, I'm at the mercy of the repair shop. Is the compressor gone? Clutch maybe? No Refrigerant? A week ago I found a small puddle (very small) that would have been under the right side of the car. It appeared to be a reddish color oily substance with no odor. Looked all around and could not locate the source. Put cardboard under the car at various spots overnight & no further leak that I can see. Not sure if this has anything to do with the AC problem or is she just getting tired and starting to squirt fluid from every orifice? Any advice or direction would be appreciated. Looked at the FAQ & found some stuff that pertained but without the same exact problem that I am experiencing. If it is the compressor, clutch or whatever, any ideas on installed cost from a shop would also be helpful.

Thanks

Mike (Love this car just a little less today!!)