richard wysong

that depends on what you are using the truck for. go to Rock Auto and browse their selection, you can spend anywhere from about $15 up and the shocks have different performance specs for different uses

both 4l60es? should be plug and play I believe, do a visual to make sure everything is the same as far as electrical connectors, overall length etc if it matches you are good to go

please let us know what you find when you tear in to it

80 psi shouldn't cause a complete misfire so I'm betting there's a valve train problem

first do a cylinder leak test on no7 to determine where the compresssion leak is. it may be as simple as a broken valve spring

complete codes please

not just pulling vacuum but during recovery some oil is removed from the system and is seperated by the machine so it can be measured and replenished. so you may have an 8 oz overcharge which probably won't hurt it but it will cool better with the correct charge in it. the worse that could happen is either the relief valve will pop and you lose all the freon or the compressor may bind up and damage the clutch or belt but I wouldn't worry if it's working ok

or just weld the crack if the pipe's solid

an exhaust shop with a pipe bender can make that but I would cut that part out back to regular pipe and weld the new flex pipe there. you may have to add a short piece of pipe

try a truck repair shop, big trucks use flex pipe too

what is the freon charge on the sticker? most pickups are around 2lbs and that's what you added to the system that already had enough in it to cycle the compressor so if the capacity is 2lbs whatever was still in the system is how much its overcharged. pressures don't matter when doing a recharge as temp, compressor efficiancy, blower speed ,air flow thru condenser all affect pressures. that's why you go by freon weight

the system should have been recovered and vacuumed for at least 30 min to remove any moisture and air then recharged with the amount of 134 that the system requires. usually that's on a sticker on top of the accumulator. I also add florescent dye to make it easier to find any leaks down the road. you are probably ok where the system wasn't empty so air and moisture didn't have an opportunity to enter the system, but you may have slightly overcharged the system. Cams advice was right on, clean the condenser as best you can, removing the upper radiator shroud should help and you may find leaves etc in between the rad and the condenser. the compressor problems are usually just leaks and clutch failure

low freon charge

Are you sure they installed the engine you supplied? Maybe they kept that and rehabbed rhe original thus explaining the head gaskets etc

here in Massachusetts if the bill is more than $10 over the estimate it has to be approved in writing or you don't have to pay it so you may want to check with the AGs office to see what the law is in Mo. Obviously you picked the wrong garage to do the job but it's too late now to do anything about that. the oil should burn out of the exhaust after about half hour at hi-way speed. if it still smokes you may want to pull the valve covers and make sure the oil drains are not blocked by whatever gaskets they put in. Anpther $100 to recharge the ac? go to the parts store and get what you need to fix the schrader valve and go to Walmart and grab a couple cans of r134 and do it yourself. I know the system should be vacuumed but if it still has some pressure when you fix the valve you will be ok