1994 AC problem
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,495
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN 38135, USA, Earth
Take it to a pro. Charging a refrigerant system isn't for amateurs. There are plenty of things you CAN do to maintain/repair your truck, and I (for one) will be glad to help you learn how, but this isn't one of them. Alignment, auto trans repair, & differential setup are others. Airbags are easy & safe compared to refrigeration. Yes, many people do this, but they rarely do it right.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,495
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN 38135, USA, Earth
That's strictly between you & the shop you take it to. Some have a minimum charge; some have a flat fee for evac. & recharge; some charge book time; some charge clock time; some will tell you a low price & then jack it up after they're working on it.
But the fact that you're low tells you there's a leak, so simply putting refrigerant in won't fix anything for long. That means you should expect to pay for some diagnosis & a few new parts (possibly just O-rings). I'd say reasonable cost would be between $150-250 if it's nothing major; maybe double that if you need 1 major component. Rip-off could head for a grand.
But the fact that you're low tells you there's a leak, so simply putting refrigerant in won't fix anything for long. That means you should expect to pay for some diagnosis & a few new parts (possibly just O-rings). I'd say reasonable cost would be between $150-250 if it's nothing major; maybe double that if you need 1 major component. Rip-off could head for a grand.