You are just low on refrigerant, completely normal for the age of your Pathfinder. Refrigerant permeates out of hoses and fittings, I doubt you have a leak based on what you wrote, just get it recharged to the proper refrigerant level.

- first i think txv is gutted because how else can there be such a high pressure on the evaporator? or it is possible ? I'm pretty sure all PT cruiser were orifice tube. Compressor capacity gets spoiled (reduced) as pressure ratio across it goes up, if it's orifice tube system it's running flooded b...

I actually worked on the PT at Chrysler, just carbon dated myself...

I don't think you damaged anything from what you've described. Vacuum correctly and charge correctly as tbird said, and you'll be OK.

I googled it, it's a Mitsubishi fixed scroll. The way you describe resistance turning it sounds like it's a good compressor, that's how scrolls feel. Sounds kinda like the temp sensor might be dislodged, i.e. working but not in the correct position. The evaporator doesn't get blocked off by temperat...

Oops. Apologies Tim. I was referring to this idea that you need to nail the charge level within an ounce. I don't remember the charge plateau "window" size for WD/WK trucks, that testing was a long time ago and I've slept since then. It's in the range of 100 to 150g, or 3.5 to 5.3 oz I agr...

I agree OP's Durango likely undercharged.

I don't know why you guys have these opinions about 1234YF, it's not my experience. The charge window "length" is about the same as 134a, usually 100g. I worked on this condenser.

I'm not even convinced you have an AC problem. You removed the front HVAC, opened it, replaced the evap, put it back in. Do the heater blend doors function properly? Can you go full hot on the controls with fully warmed up engine and blast hit air out? Can you go full cold and blow a little warmer t...

Sounds like a rebuilt compressor to me. Compressor reassembled not quite straight, so the bolts and mounting lugs put a torque on the shell, and they didn't bother to put a new shaft seal in.

Not a big deal as far as I know. PAG used for 1234yf is slightly better miscibility, still a PAG. The knuckle heads on the SAE committee that wrote standards for Yf blew things way out of proportion IMO.

Don't sweat it too much, recover the YF, charge it properly with 134a.

That compressor looks like it has a snap disk thermal switch, mounted on it's case. Thermal switch could be tripping in the wrong temperature but my bet is you are just undercharged. Have a good ac shop charge it to the weight shown on the under hood sticker. Running undercharged causes abnormally h...