Question about professional vacuum A/C recharge vs A/C Pro Canister

I have been troubleshooting my A/C system for a while now and have replaced the condenser and compressor and finally figured out that it was a leak in the seal in the compressor housing case where the two pieces of the case seal in the middle.

Over the past year, I have had the system professionally recharged twice (pulled a vacuum, and replaced the refrigerant). I recently pulled the faulty compressor out and replaced it, so now I need to charge the system again.

My question is this: Do I need to pay another $85 for a professional recharge? or can I recharge the system with a simple canister? DO I need to pull a vacuum again?

Thanks in advance!

 

Absolutely do a professional recharge, especially if it's only $85.

A proper machine should pull vacuum and dispense the exact correct amount of refrigerant and oil into the system to make sure it works at it's full potential.

 

No need for a professional but stay clear of the cheap refill kits with built in gauges. Any time the system is breached it’s a good idea to draw a deep vacuum and then you want to make sure the proper amount of PAG oil and refrigerant are added per the FSM

 

Professional for sure on this one.

 

You must vac the system down before charging or it will never work correctly -- or for long.

 

IMHO at $85 clams, it's a no-brainer, not that it's a difficult DIY effort. It's more of a question of whether or not you have the time, proper equipment, and know-how. Or perhaps better, is it worth the savings to do what you have to do to properly prepare and do the work yourself.

 

I'd agree, assuming the folks doing the work are knowledgeable and do a decent job, hopefully it's not Jiffy Lube or a Pep Boi providing that quote LOL