The suction line accumulator is designed to keep liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor while still allowing for oil return.

The trouble is that if the oil return port/screen clogs, the accumulator can fill with oil and actually cause the compressor to fail. In addition to that, it can hold contaminated oil in a burnout.

As standard compressor replacement practice, you may want to consider removing the accumulator and dumping (properly disposing of) excess oil to remove contamination, check for excessive oil buildup, and acid-test the oil.

In the case of a bad burnout, it may be best to replace the accumulator completely and take the other burnout protocol measures.

Here is a great video on accumulators from AC Service Tech:

Louie Molenda also wrote an excellent HVAC School article about suction line accumulators a while back. You can find that article HERE.

—Bryan