One2chi

anyone know of any pic-a-pat junkyards in ny/nj? i heard they are all dismantlers(is that true?).

RotaryBzzz

More JunkYard Fun:

One of the nice things about junkyarks is that you'll find things that are not exactly junk. Like tools. One of the easiest (and FREE) ways to get a complete set of good quality german tools is from older BMW's. In the trunk of each and every BMW is a tool set mounted on the inner side of the trunk deck. They are branded "Heyco" made in West Germany and are good quality METRIC open-closed enders, cresent wrenches, plumber's wrenches. If you find a set, you'll have no problem "losing them" among your own tools. Hence, it's a good idea to bring a tool-chest in with you.

Pick-Ur-Part OC is on Beach Blvd


[Modified by RotaryBzzz, 5:19 PM 2/24/2003]

Stripped Honda

i just got back from pick a part in monrovia and they had a 95 civic 4 door ex with rear disc brakes engine and tranny still in the car i was thinking about going in the morning and getting the brakes... but i dont need them .. maybe i will put them in classifides if i buy them

RotaryBzzz

Junkyard Theory 101 - How to Pick a Part

So, you've come to the yard and it's a great day: there are a couple different cars with parts for you to choose from. The thing is....how do you choose your parts? Beyond getting the best looking (obviously) interior & exterior and other non-mechanical parts, how do you choose something like a used transmission, a starter or an alternator?

The first error that you can make is to look at the dash and assume the mileage you see is correct. Often times, it is not. I still remember one time examining this old Rx7 that was showing only 60k miles (but in sad-SAD-**** POOR shape body, interior & oxidation-wise) and seeing that the engine was gone...it was not crashed-up. Someone had taken the engine thinking it was low-mileage. Sure the engine could've been rebuilt and looked clean, but the mileage on the dash wouldn't have been rolled back like that by a normal shop or a normal person. At some point, the transmission input to the dash failed but whoever dropped that motor thought the mileage was correct. WRONG!

Quite obviously then, the best cars to pick from are those that are crashed up. Why? Because OBVIOUSLY they were running at some point recently and were junked b/k they were too damaged to be fixed. It was not for mechanical reasons this car was discarded. This isn't always true but for the most part...it is.

A good indicator of the usability of a part is how shiney it is. Obviously, something that looks bright and shiney in contrast to a dirty engine bay has been replaced at some point. Some things I would look for to be shiney are starters, master cylinders, clutch cylinders, clutch slave clylinders, A/C pieces. However, something I would prefer original is definately the alternator. It's amazingly easy to rebuild an alternator like ****...alternators are definately the one piece from a junked car that I would prefer NOT to have been EVER touched. I'll take a dirty, used OEM alternator from a car showing 120k miles over a shiney-bright remanufactured one anyday b/k they are so essential to a cars second-to-second operation. Given that honda (Denso) alternators last 180k plus....i wouldn't mind getting a used one in good condition (not too rusty) at all. Ask 89_lxi how long his original alternator has lasted, and I'm sure he'll be happy to say.

A way to tell the car was taken car of is to look in the glove-box and try to find the old registration papers. You might find a stack of registration papers that tell you this car was owned for many years by the same person. That's somewhat of an indicator that the car was kinda taken car of. Sometimes you also find maintenice records - PERFECT for directing you to strip the right pieces off a car (i.e. "I would've never known that the O2 sensor was brand new and replaced with original Honda parts").

to be continued...

93acclude

Excellent post...very informative.

louder160

The you wrench it yard that we have in KC has a directory of parts that are interchangeable. Its always good to stop and look at that if you are needing a specific part.

Run Hatch

I go to all the junk yards in LA . Nice post

97F22B2

Im representin Ohio here and i got to pull apart a Porsche 911 turbo(i think thats what it was, it was rolled too many times to count) with the nwer wheels on it. They helped pay for my CAR! But around here they dont have too many Honda related pick ur own parts places, so my 5th gen LX gets very few junk yard parts but i will drive elsewere to get em.

Martaigne

I see you're right up the road from me. Which junkyard did you have the problem with? The only one I know of around here at the moment is Honda Parts Connection but they're expensive as hell, quoted me $500 for all four hubs/bearings off of a 97+ Prelude. I could get all that for the same price new.

I'm getting frustrated and I need to find a new place in our area that won't completely rip me off.

nickg11111

brake swaps are a good idea at pull-it-your-own-damn-self yards. every yard i've come across won't pull parking brake cables, although theyre not hard to pull off at all. i got my complete rear disk swap for about 250. also, another tip is that you never need to bring a jack. you can always find a couple of jacks in the trunks of cars, and use wheels as jackstands. you can flip a car on its side if you had the time (jack it up, put some wheels under it, lower the jack and put it on a different wheel, jack it up some more, etc.). also, empty out your toolbox before you go, except for what youre really going to need. this will leave room for all the free parts, including ecu's, wiring harnesses, misc screws and bolts, and whatever else is fairly small. by the way, anyone know of good yards in the denver area??? i usually go to pull and save, sidewinder, and blakes. good idea about the german tools too.

ajd2004

anybody have any ideas what i could pull of an '89 accord LX? there must be a ton of these sitting around.

hagrid

anybody in the tristate area ever heard of harry's or allentown u-pull-it? i've heard some really good things about them. thinking about heading out there in a week or so. its a goo 2hr drive so i'll have to call and make sure their gonna have some parts that i need.

RotaryBzzz

more tips on how to use http://www.switchboard.com efficiently:

1) run query for "auto wrecking" in "business type". If nothing found try...
2) run query for the name of the place (i.e. Ecology, Pick-Your-Part, U-Pull-U-Pick, Pick-And-Run, etc. in the category "business name". Leave business type blank. Type in a city close in promixty to you. Switchboard will (usually) search in an expanding radius around that zipcode point.
3) Have a phone number? Use the "reverse phone number" search on the left toolbar to find the address.

------------
Little Bit O' Theory 101 before I go to Bed

Okay...so you got the "free" german tools, your picking electrical parts like a pro, your not getting your new shoes dirty cause you brought some ratty sneakers to the yard AND your getting your entrance fees back from all the loose bling-bling change you've been finding. So what next? WELLLLLL.....why don't we make some mullah...aka cold hard cash.

RotaryBzzz's list of parts that sell well on Ebay:

Anything that a human can touch and/or **** with. The most sellable part of a car are things that get lost with time. Things like the car manuals that came with the car sell well on ebay. Original manufacturer's brochures/catalogs do well also (anyone wanna buy my 2003 Mugen Japan catalog??). Other things that sell well (relatively speaking) on ebay are power window switches, power mirror switches, EX interior parts (i.e. armrests - ha), special badges, wheel center caps, electical parts like ECU's, tranny controllers, etc.

Things you shouldn't waste your time on ebay would be big-heavy electrical parts like starters, alternators, body panels (unless you got them free). Remember...you still have to ship those sons-of-guns which can really suck.

Basically, anything that you can get at Autozone is really not worth picking up. Anything you can only get at the Honda dealer might be worth snagging if the price is right. One word of advice...if your going to start occasional ebaying, make sure you do it right and make a real commitment to follow-thru on a sale. Study other ppl's auctions and see what they say and their shipping terms. I ususally rip the best text I find. If your naturally a slacker, selling on ebay is not the venue for you.

to be continued...

RotaryBzzzz

bump for all you 'rear-disc brake conversion' affectionados...

SearchBeforeUPost!

http://www.junkyarddog.com

takezo

I like this thread

georgeda

These salvage yards sure are fun. Maybe someone could start a list by location and even give a short rating of each.
A nice one in Ft. Lauderdale, FL is on US 441 1 mile sough of I 595. They keep cars together by make. One problem in south Florida is the summer heat. They open at 8 am and by that time its in the 80s.

t_e

alot of crappy junkyards in miami, theres an all honda junkyard but the bastards dont let wrench the parts off yourself they do it for u plus they like to overcharge........

iam7head

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...33742

look what i found in my e-junk yard??
******* good deal under two bills

iam7head

Just came back from Pick a part in ontario, not much left.
found couple of frist gen acura legend, dsm, and abunch of 3rd gen accord and carb' accord.

no luck

anyone know which junkyard i can find more stuff?? i need o2 senser from 4th-6th gen accord

but i did saw alot of 260-280zx, Fc, anyone want a oil cooler from FC?


Modified by iam7head at 9:18 PM 7/6/2003

Calavera

are there alot of integras/civics in the junkyards located in socal? especially near los angeles area.

dawng

Biggest mistake I ever made was dealing with Pick Your Part in Sun Valley. They are utterly unreliable, lie when the truth would do, and leave you hanging on pick ups for junk vehicles for days. Told me they would show up to pick up a wrecked car 5 separate times, gave me a 5 hour window (which I hung around for) and never showed any of the times. I have also had some experience with their parts, in a word, their "guarantee" is worthless. Be very careful when dealing with them, or just find somewhere else.

i20ar

i recently went on a search for sum 93' civic wiring harnesses to do the blinker light conversion... i went to about 3 pic-apart places.... and all 3 times i found nuthing .. pick a part its really cool but most of the time its hard to get the stuff you need unless you go the day they get new cars in.. soo if your in the so cal area i know a street that has everything youll need... you could call it import road... it by the irwindale raceway..

just do a search on map quest for
" 883-706 Alpha St, Duarte, CA"

these guys have everything youll need but im not so sure about the prices but you can usualy bargain with them..

one other cool place i found was found in the same parking lot as

"Pick-A-Part Auto Dismantling
3333 Peck Rd, Monrovia, CA"

except if you go there drive to the verry end of the driveway and youll find a privatly owend auto dismantler i forgot the name.. but its at the very end.... those guys have everyhting youll need + a good price hope this helps

gaydm.accord

nice back from the dead.

gaydm.accord

btw alpha street has the best shiet... good thing im an acquaintance with one of the owners at one of the lots.

and theres one more about 10 minutes away sun something... i forget