Pick and pull yards
 

I don't consider myself "cheap" in the slightest, if anything I am the opposite. That being said I've been keeping my older vehicles alive with these yards and have been quite satisfied.

Today I replaced 3 of the 4 O2 sensors in my Tundra for $7.50 a piece vs the $100 or so each they go for online new. They are easy to get to and remove. I snagged the two upstream off a couple of Camry's and had to swap my connectors but all in all it took maybe 45mins.

For those curious my research shows they are all the same(except wideband varieties) and easy to test. These were the 4 wire variety and testing is as follows.

First to test the heating element- of the four wires there are two that will be off the same color (usually black or white). Test for resistance between them, if none then the heating element is bad.

Then test the O2 sensor itself- find the ground wire (it's the one that has continuity between itself and the body of the sensor). Test for DC voltage between that wire and the remaining wire of the 4 while holding a torch over the sensor end. After a few seconds you'll start to see a slow climb to .1 volts or so, remove the flame and it will head back down to zero. If it does this the sensor is good.

Don't know why I bothered but maybe this will help someone.

I love pick and pull yards! They are the best places EVER!!! :D

Great source of relays, connectors, charcoal canisters, anything I need for my odd little ideas and projects, all for cheap.

My favorite score was the idle control valve. The valve and wire for the valve on my 3.2 coupe was a bit crispy from an engine fire. Worked, but the connecto on the valve was melted and everything held together with zip-ties. I spotted an older Volvo with what appeared to be the exact valve. I went home, cross-referenced and it indeed, it was the same one. Went back, took a big chunk of the Volvo's harness and that valve, plus half a dozen other little things. The guy at the counter asked me if I had checked to see if the valve worked. Said "no" guess I'll take my chances. So he gave it to me for free!

I am a regular customer, but still - FREE! And yes, it works perfectly.

angela

Weird. I was thinking about this today and actually called up a couple of P&P's in the area looking for parts for my son's Volvo 240. I've never been to one where you pull the part off the car yourself. What do you take with you to these besides a list, some basic tools and a sandwich?

My memory and tech knowledge is a bit fuzzy on this, but...

I think the O2 sensor creates a 0-1 volt signal using heat to active the differential potential in the layers of platinum. It uses the comparison of external oxygen vs. that inside the tailpipe. Even though the sensor inside the pipe may generate some sort of a voltage signal, that signal may or may not be calibrated correctly to the level of ambient oxygen.

The O2 sensor was made specifically for the catalytic converter which needs brief cycles of lean mixture to keep it heated and clean.

In post-1994-5 OBD2 vehicles, the long-term fuel curve usually recognizes and compensates for a "weaker" O2 sensor unless it's completely out of whack. If the signals returned are outside the computer's preceived ability to compensate, it sets the code and dash-light.

It could be a toss-up between the extra cost of gas over x-years vs. the cost of the new sensor.
Certainly, a rusted sensor with opaque oil in the engine is not even worth the trouble of looking at.


That being said.....thanks for memory reminder. Junkyards are definitly a great resource for all those those "little things" and a lost art.

I've seen dudes in there with a generator and air tools!




KT

Pick-n-Pull » Home

You can search by car make/model.
Set for how many miles from home.

It will tell you which has what, when it arrived and what row it is located in.

Pretty slick.


KT

Most places have yard rats that will pull your parts for a few bucks. I once got a 914 engine. I took along a full tool box on a dolly.

Cordless impacts are GREAT for pick n pull yards. You can usually find little parts that are NLA, or really hard to find for next to nothing. Love 'em.

It's been 30 years since I went to a place where you pull your own. Every place has some yard pullers who do it.

Thanks for the link, Trekkor!

I practically live in those places. I could spend hours telling you stories of epic scores, here is one:

About a month ago, I walked into one and there was an '87 Mercedes 300SDL in decent shape with complete drivetrain and most other parts present. It had the prized #22 casting head on it, that alone is worth ~$1500 on eBay with cam and lifters, etc. I started to pull the head and then decided to just take the whole kit 'n caboodle, engine+trans with all accessories including A/C compressor, starter, turbo, injection pump, everything.

Total price including tax was around $400. I've since tested the engine and it's perfect. The #22 head is indicative of a replacement motor under a campaign that MB had on those cars, (long story).
I've been offered $3k for the engine+trans w/o any accessories, still trying to decide what to do with it. It's a rare find and I dabble in these cars a lot.

There was a complete 2.3 16v 190e there the same day.

You should have brought a bigger trailer Denis:D

Sometimes when I'm wrestling my acquisitions up to the cashier, I feel like a great hunter dragging a moose through the woods or something.

Some people have a problem buying used parts.

I don't. All the other parts on my car are used....


KT

Yeah well, you're cuter than the rest of us.

Me? I'd prolly hafta pay $ 10 for that control valve. God I love junkyards.

I always wish to see a 911 there, but never have yet.

I've never been to one where you pull the part off the car yourself.
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Good score, Denis! How the heck did you pull all of that stuff out of the car and get it out of the yard? Do they have an engine hoist or crane available for customers to use? I can never find anything useful in the P & P yards around here...it's mostly 10-20 year old Japanese & American hulks that've already been picked clean.

Same here. And being KS, they're all full of domestics. The one local import lot sells used parts for new prices.:rolleyes: I love buying used parts, but they tend to come from Ebay.

Good info on the O2 sensors lendaddy. I'm sure i'll reference it soon.