If I was you, I would have evacuated the system with a vacuum pump motor for a minimum 1/2 hour before even trying to charge the system at all. That was standard procedure for back when I always used to work on A/C at a previous job at a shop I used to work at. The vacuum helps to suck the freon in, and also serves to create super low absolute pressure so as to boil out any moisture that may be in the system (during that time you have the vacuum pump on it). Also, if it wont take the full 1 lb 12oz (I think that's what Contour takes?), then make sure you start it up and run it while filling from the low side, so the lowside pressure drop will help to draw the rest of the freon in, as it converts most of it into liquid by pressurizing it into the high side. Did you do all that?
