[Bradical]

Just to preface, I am a professional commercial HVAC technician and instructor. The expansion device on the pre 85.5 and the 924S is a thermostatic expansion valve, not sure about the later cars but I think it's the same.

Anyway, the only thing that is going to cause the TXV to be wide open is if the sensing bulb, which is attached via a transmission line to the power head of the TXV, is not mounted to the suction (return) line leaving the evaporator that leads back to the compressor. If it is not attached it is sensing the warm ambient air and driving the TXV wide open. That will be the only problem that could cause the TXV to remain open as opposed to being closed. (Edit- What I mean by that is that all other problems will result in a stuck-closed symptom)

If you check the bulb and it is attached, look elsewhere. Your symptoms sound to me like bent or damaged reed valves in the compressor, causing no pumping action, if the clutch is in fact working. But, you could get lucky and it it be a simple fix like just mounting up the TXV bulb