What do y'all do with old car parts?

[qdeezie]

For something like an old rotor or drum, or any other part that is pretty much an unusable piece of metal, I take it to a metal scrapyard once it accumulates a bit.

What I'm talking about is a part such as an old starter or alternator that you don't need to return as a core or old injectors that you replaced. Or old coil packs. In my case, the injectors and coil packs weren't bad, but it is obvious that their performance had degraded compared to the new parts. The old starter and alternator will likely never be reused. There's a slight chance I might rebuild the alternator, but no chance I touch the starter.

What do you do with your old parts in scenarios like this? Do you keep them in a box in the corner somewhere or do you just throw them out?

 

[Kestas]

Luckily, we have a metal scrap bin at work. I see lots of old car parts there after a weekend.

Otherwise, the local independent businessmen roam around the neighborhood with old trucks the day trash is put out picking out the metal.

 

[bullwinkle]

Starters & alternators go in the electric motor pile, everything else metal goes in with the scrap parts from work. It all adds up (slowly).

 

[PPWarrior]

With all rims we make bbq pits

 

[qdeezie]

Originally Posted by PPWarrior
With all rims we make bbq pits


You know, my dad used to make bbq pits with old hot water heaters.

 

[Chris142]

I used to scrap everything. Now with scrap so low its not worth the effort. I spent a day loading #2700 lbs of metal on my trailer then another day at the scrap yard. Separating it how they want it. Got a whopping $35.

 

[Leo99]

Get rid of it. Don't be a hoarder.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by Chris142
I used to scrap everything. Now with scrap so low its not worth the effort. I spent a day loading #2700 lbs of metal on my trailer then another day at the scrap yard. Separating it how they want it. Got a whopping $35.


I was quoted 5.75 cents a pound for steel car bodies around here. That would be over $150. They're rippin you off.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by atikovi
Originally Posted by Chris142
I used to scrap everything. Now with scrap so low its not worth the effort. I spent a day loading #2700 lbs of metal on my trailer then another day at the scrap yard. Separating it how they want it. Got a whopping $35.


I was quoted 5.75 cents a pound for steel car bodies around here. That would be over $150. They're rippin you off.

Ya they pay better at the pier.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by qdeezie
For something like an old rotor or drum, or any other part that is pretty much an unusable piece of metal, I take it to a metal scrapyard once it accumulates a bit.

What I'm talking about is a part such as an old starter or alternator that you don't need to return as a core or old injectors that you replaced. Or old coil packs. In my case, the injectors and coil packs weren't bad, but it is obvious that their performance had degraded compared to the new parts. The old starter and alternator will likely never be reused. There's a slight chance I might rebuild the alternator, but no chance I touch the starter.

What do you do with your old parts in scenarios like this? Do you keep them in a box in the corner somewhere or do you just throw them out?


There's a father and son duo near me that rebuild all kinds of electrical stuff. They rebuilt my alternator for $75 and it works flawlessly.

At our work we haul old wheels, brakes and parts to local scrap place 5 miles from workplace

 

[JeffKeryk]

Sometimes I get lucky and save 'em.
When I pulled out all the aftermarket MSD and points eliminator stuff outta my 68 Vette and went back to stock points, I was lucky enough to find the original coil with the correct numbers...
Original ROCKS! The car ran great. I love my points.

 

[BigCahuna]

Just wrap them up in a box marked "Fragile electronics", and put then on your front steps.,,,

 

[Hall]

If it's got any amount of metal, it goes in front of our garbage can when it's set out on Sunday afternoon/evening. By nightfall, it's gone....

 

[Number_35]

I save scrap metal (typically car and bike parts) in a cardboard box tagged 'SCRAP METAL' and put it out next to the garbage and recycling bins. It's always gone before garbage day. A typical load of a couple of boxes was only getting me about $7 at the scrap metal dealer - not worth the wear and tear on my vehicle driving the load over, but for someone who's patrolling the back lanes looking for water tanks, old appliances, etc, it's worth it.

 

[Dinoburner]

The front bearing of an alternator is the same size as an idler pulley and some other apps. WE strip out everything we can and seperate out the different metals as best as we can. The cleaner the nonferrus the better the price.

 

[BrianF]

If it can be burnt, it will go in the burn barrel. If not it will go to the rez dump or metal recycling pile.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted by Dinoburner
The front bearing of an alternator is the same size as an idler pulley and some other apps.

#203,6203 or FF203 a very common bearing.

 

[DejaVue]

I can be a bit of a parts hoarder, change the serpentine belt tensioner on a car and then keep the old one in a box of used parts, in case the newer one suddenly breaks and I have to put the old one back on for a week, I guess. haha. I think it comes from at least in the past stores and even dealers not having various parts in stock and so a worn part is better than a broken part while you wait.

If you already bring steel scrap to a recycler, I would think bring your alternators and starters there too instead of throwing them out. Not for the money, but so they're not in a landfill.

 

[Snagglefoot]

In case some of the metal makes it into the landfill, it will all be melted in approx. 7.5 billion years when the sun goes into the Red Giant phase and expands beyond the orbit of the planet earth.

 

[Andrew1972]

My dump takes it and town makes some money off the scrap. A savvy town administrator keeps taxes relatively low because she is retired from private sector.