'96 F-250 Engine Replacement

[tankerpilot]

I was wondering if anyone knows if it is possible replace a 7.3L turbo diesel engine WITHOUT discharging the HVAC coolant. A friend of mine said I might be able to split the case on the canister (?) and basically move the system out of the way so I can replace the engine. I know the compressor will have to come off the engine, but can I keep the system charged or do have to drain it? Is it even worth the time to keep the old system charged? Also, will this lead me to having the a/c system converted to the new stuff after it's purged. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm sort of new to this and learning as I go.

Thanks a lot!

Stephan Sila

I have a 1996 7.3L Powerstroke turbo diesel, stock everything.