Air conditioning barely working

[HPsauce]

Thanks MJ, I thought as much about the lack of monitoring; for a simple idiot like me where/how do I see the compressor? And where are the pipes behind the expansion tank?

[MikkiJayne]

The AC compressor is on the bottom passenger side of the engine, under the power steering pump. The outer pulley always spins with the belt, but the inner is on an electromagnetic clutch controlled by the hvac unit.

The pipes are the aluminium ones running up from under the passenger side headlight, past the expansion tank, and through the bulkhead. The larger one should be getting cold.

[HPsauce]

Thanks for that MJ, I can see where you mean but the radiator blocks an easy view of the pulleys so I'll dig out my borescope camera and see if it helps.
Is there anything visible in VCDS which shows if the clutch is engaged, or at least is supposed to be? Or is it always engaged unless A/C is off, e.g. Econ mode?

Edit: Pipes are decidedly "ambient" after a few minutes of engine running with A/C on, though the thin one actually feels slightly cooler. I took off the nearside fog light cover but that still doesn't give a direct view of the compressor pulleys, but will probably be an easier/safer route in for my borescope. That hasn't been used in ages so has a flat battery; it's on charge at present.

[HPsauce]

Compressor clutch is fine. Posted borescope snake via foglight aperture, secured with gaffer tape well away from pulley and belts!
Has a useful 90-degree mirror tip that I had attached; could clearly see some sort of label near the centre of the pulley.
Ignition on, A/C into Econ mode, start engine. Label didn't move. Econ off, label spins, back on it stops. Result.

So, it's either slowly lost refrigerant or has a leak. I guess the only way to find out is to hook it to a drain/refill machine!