Thank you gentlemen.

 

If I may make a couple of suggestions for future troubleshooting. First off, it's worth the trouble to get a set of gauges that you can check the high and low sides with. Over charging is easy and it will result in damage. Secondly, if the compressor is turning, it should refrigerate. I have not had any trouble with my 2001 truck but I know in the past the older trucks will have a screen that may clog up at the metering devise which will keep the refrigerant from circulating. This is an easy way to over charge it. All the refrigerant will stay on the high side.

Two more big points. If you don't pull a vacuum on the system you will likely have non condensable gases or moisure in the system. Both will keep it from working porperly. Moisure can freeze at the metering device and form a restriction. This will make the system stop working until it defrost and lets the refrigerant move again.

Just a few more things to worry about.

 

Thanks Blythe. One question. How does a DIY-er pull a vacuum and what gear needs to be used/bought? if you know of a website or Youtube that addresses that for me I'd like to get the link. I'm still learning. Please bear with me. Cheers.

 

Never mind Blythe. I found a video on it. Cheers.

 

Vacuum is important.
It does two things.
Checks for leaks and clears most all gass out of the system, as indicated.
I'm not reccomending this but:
Now don't get too excited about this but I have actually pulled a vacuum on a system with home made adapters using a common hand vacuum pump down to close to 28 inches.
It takes a good pump and pumping for about 15 minites but works.
Let it set for almost a half hour being sure your 'lash up' is not leaking.
If it does not leak down more than a few inches the system should work if there are no other faults.
You still have to have the means to let freon into the vacuum and procced to the proper pressure.
Good luck.

 

Thanks Blugrass. I like your music. Autozone has the high/low calibration rig for $54 and supposedly I can get a vacuum pump from Harbor Freight for <$100. That's seems reasonable since I'm not very good at the whole Mcgyver thing. Cheers.

 

For many years my official vacuum pump was an old ford compressor (the old square one) with the clutch tach welded, mounted on a piece of flat steel with an old 110 volt motor and belt running it. Not OSHA approved for sure. It worked very well. I bought a real one years ago. Just make sure you brake your vacuum with refrigerant. One other thing a vacuum will do is boil out the water. The air is full of moisture so if a system is open to the atmospher, it will have water in it. Anyway water will boil in a vacuum at room temperture. That's how a low vacuum over a few hours will get EVERYTHING out of the system that is a gas.