Feeling out interest

I'm new to automotive salvage here, so I'm throwing this out to test the waters. I'm sure it has been done before, if in fact it is economically feasible.

You auto scrappers, do you pull the electronics (ECU, PCM, etc) to sell to e-waste recyclers? In the area I live there is very little awareness or interest in e-waste, and I was considering approaching a couple of the auto recyclers in my area and offering to buy these e-waste products from them before they crush.

What do you charge if you sell them, or offer if you buy them? Kickbacks or trades?

One way I was considering to get cost down was by offer g to trade back the aluminum casing these things nearly always come wrapped up in. Think they would bite on that?

I'm just starting out in an area where auto salvage and metal recycling is HUGE and very competitive, but e-waste not nearly so much. I'm trying to find ways to develop unique and early relationship with my local recyclers before the e-waste market here starts to see serious growth and participation.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Most auto recyclers that I deal with do not pull modules. It's not time and cost effective to them. For the few that do pull the modules, they want retail prices if they sell them.

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Originally Posted by APA

Most auto recyclers that I deal with do not pull modules. It's not time and cost effective to them. For the few that do pull the modules, they want retail prices if they sell them.

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I see, this is good to know. Maybe I would have better luck offering to pull it myself? Only from vehicles that are unloaded, so as not to add any additional work or accommodation.

Pulling them for e-waste value would be quite a bit of work for a small amount of gain. Rough guess maybe 30 - 70 cents per board ? You would have to weigh up a few on the scale and then run the numbers to confirm.

Some boards are encased in a brick of plastic resin of some kind.

ECU's are expensive to buy new. Sometimes they just aren't available for certain makes and models so a junkyard pull is the only option. There might be some money to be made in selling used parts ?

I don't pull them for scrap. Too time intensive. I will pull to sell as used working units. Good money that way

A scrapyard near here pays/paid a friend $10 to pull out the wiring loom from scrapped cars before they were crushed.
He got a flat $10 per loom ripped out, they keep the loom of course. It was his saturday/Sunday spending $ perk.
Since the cars are lined up and nothing else is happening in the yard it was easy work.
I used to do it on cars that were stacked up to 5 high, and partly crushed. Main thing was to figure out the side 'earth wires that branch off the looms on Japanese cars, they hold you up if you don't know they are there.
And to pull the main cable thru the firewall as much as possible before cutting it, use tin snips, so you can then pull it from the other side and get to be able to cut around the rubber boot that's attached to the loom & the firewall.

And get as much of the alternator/starter motor/battery cable out in one piece, as you can strip its insulation off and get 'Bare bright' price for it.

But...… if you can score this job somewhere, chances are you could get to keep the computers too.
While you are there, AC & Heater cores (1Lb each) as well as the Airbags.
. Don't forget the spare change under the carpets.

Best car was a 1985+ Honda Accord, all electric stuff thruout it.
Easyest was a Mercedes (maybe it was a BMW?) The whole dashboard just disintegrated once its vinyl covering was broken up. AC core was a heater core sized block of Aluminium. Steering column was held in by bolts with clips, wiring loom had individual wire going to every electronic fixture, from a 'mainsboard' on each side of the cabin firewall.

Ie, in their design they started with the idea that it was the occupants safety that mattered first, getting them out in a crash situation was their main goal, simply remove windscreen and stand on bonnet and start chopping thru the top of the dashboard with a fire axe. It disintegrates into 2inch square plastic plates, pull out the dashboard covering, unclip the steering colum and remove it.
The occupants are now sitting in a open empty cabin.

There is no way that could be done in a japanese car..…. They are a pressed steel & flammable material cage.
To get their firewalls wiring loom, remove the windscreen (use safety glasses!!! Gloves) undo the 3 bolts near the windscreens base and use your legs to lever the dash backwards to open it up and get into it from above.

Oh, car computers.. I found some a few days ago, did a Google search to find oiut what they were from.
Turns out they are from a 1996 Holden V6 3.8L….
Wait for it...
Ex Police car…. Lol.:cool: