today i was driving and turned on the a/c to hear a LOUD clunk from the clutch..when i got home i heard hissing and went for a while im sure it was leaking all the refrigerant out now the a/c wont work...what is the best way to self diagnose the issue?

There is no way to self diagnose this issue, you need to have the system properly pressure tested, if no pressure we can vac the system to detect any leaks. You need specialist equipment and also be aware it is illegal to work on the gas side of the ac system

Since when is the word "issue" preferable to the word "broken"? lol

It broke. Have a look for blown hoses, fractured alloy pipes etc. If the refrigerant gas leaked out there will be an oil stain or spray pattern at that point.

Even if you locate the approximate point of failure, there is little you can do other than go to an A/C shop.

thanks for the reply, can anyone recommend any cheap place to get it dye tested?

thanks for the reply, can anyone recommend any cheap place to get it dye tested?

Have you had a look yourself? Dye testing is done to find small leaks, if you heard it clunk then hiss, you have a big leak that should be easy to spot because the escaping refrigerant will carry a lot of oil with it. And "cheap" will not be part of the solution to the issue.
Anyhow, check the Yellow pages or on line directories for an A/C shop near you. They tend to get really busy when the weather warms up because people suddenly discover their air isn't working as well as it was last time the weather turned hot.