AC Pressure

[Baconaire]

After installing after market headers on my 1998 986, I wound up cooking my high pressure power steering line. Since a remanned PS pump costs as much as the hose, I figured I may as well replace it while I'm at it (90k miles). In the process in order to get the PS pump out I removed the Air Conditioning lines in the engine bay. Whooooshhhhh, a tiny splash of freon and finally all pressure from the AC was releived. To get the old PS line out (as it snakes behind the AC compressor) and the new one in it looks like I will have to remove the AC compressor.

My question is: I did not loose much freon at all, although I releived it of a lot of air. Once I get it all back together, how will the AC system get re-pressurized? I am surmising that becuase it is called an AC 'compressor', that it will take care of itself and build pressure to the required pressure. I will recharge the system for the heck of it with one of those off the shelf 134a kits. But is it ok to run the car and/or the AC before the recharge? Will the compressor take care of the pressure as long as 99% of the freon remains in the system?

Edited June 18, 2008 by Baconaire