TWilton, edit your reply and put a title on it about your problem. Maybe someone who knows something will see it better than "newbie".
If you have a refigerant leak it will not build up enough pressure, and once some air gets in there the air will keep the 134 from filling it completely. Find a respectable shop - once cars get old the o-ring seals in some of the joints may crack a little, you're just throwing the r134 away. Once the leak is fixed, it needs to be evacuated before r134 is added back in so that's all that's in the system... Ask me about my conversion van with rear air someday...