# Stupid question



## rewalston (Apr 28, 2014)

This is probably a no brainer but, seeing that it deals with PGMs I'll ask. I'm having to replace my exhaust on my '89 GMC pickup and I was wondering if it would be worth hanging onto the cat to refine? Where I take my scrap to doesn't pay anything but tin price for it. As I only have just the one cat I don't know if it would be worth doing just that one or should I scrap it or does someone want to buy it? I'd really hate to scrap it for tin value if I could get more for it.

Rusty


----------



## solar_plasma (Apr 28, 2014)

If you don't count the time it is worth the effort in my opinion. Great chance to learn a little about pgm's. I guess it is a big cat and I guess it is with platinum. If you don't want to deal with too much liquids, you could part it in smaller parts and leach multiple times with the same solution. Just be careful with those nasty dusts.


----------



## Geo (Apr 28, 2014)

That is strange as the rest of all the scrap yards would pay better than $100 for a large one. some larger imports bring a couple of hundred each.


----------



## solar_plasma (Apr 28, 2014)

You know what...you should go to exactly this scrapyard and buy all cats he has for a price near to nothing. That I think is just fair. :lol:


----------



## rewalston (Apr 28, 2014)

I don't know the average dimensions for cats, I think the one on mine is about 10" long (the can). I asked them specifically if they paid differently for them and they said nope, tin price.


----------



## Geo (Apr 28, 2014)

Rusty, the actual metal of the "can" is non-magnetic stainless steel. Well it might be slightly magnetic due to being heated but is good grade stainless. The actual catalytic material is whats worth so much.


----------



## rewalston (Apr 28, 2014)

Geo said:


> Rusty, the actual metal of the "can" is non-magnetic stainless steel. Well it might be slightly magnetic due to being heated but is good grade stainless. The actual catalytic material is whats worth so much.


That's what I thought. Still fiddling around with the idea though.


----------



## Pantherlikher (Apr 29, 2014)

If they just buy for tin, push for paying more... You can cut them down to the can and resell for alot more...or process.
Either way, it's alot more then a couple few cents/ lb.

B.S.


----------



## kurtak (Apr 29, 2014)

Rusty

Can you provide a pic of the CAT - if so I can most likely give you a value on it (ether as scrap &/or what you might expect to get out of it by leaching it)

My "old" road atlas tells me Newmarket has a population of over 45,000 - surely there is more then the one scrap yard around - have you tried calling around to see what other scrap yards might be paying - also it looks like Toronto is not that far away so you may be able to find good pricing there (big city = more competitive market)

Kurt


----------



## rewalston (Apr 29, 2014)

kurtak said:


> Rusty
> 
> Can you provide a pic of the CAT - if so I can most likely give you a value on it (ether as scrap &/or what you might expect to get out of it by leaching it)
> 
> ...



Kurt I attached a picture of the replacement that is called out on Walker Exhaust Systems website. It looks quite similar to the one I have. In their description of features they list "Features ample precious metal load& proprietary washcoat technology", so there should be some PGMs in it. Yes there are a few yards around the one I go to is the closest. Toronto is about an hour from me and have no clue where to take anything down there. Plus it's not within walking distance :lol: For scrap metal yards, there are only two in the area that I'm aware of. There are about 4 Auto Salvage yards but they don't sell cats, and I don't believe they even buy them. They will buy batteries, and whole vehicles but not parts.


----------



## kurtak (Apr 29, 2014)

Rusty

If the CAT is the original CAT that came with the truck & if the comb is in good complete condition (not bad broken with some blown out &/or not melted) it should have an as is value of $80 - $100 U.S. dollars - if the comb is broken up &/or melted the value will of course will go down based on how much comb is left

Also if it was ever replaced & the replacement was an after market (rather then replaced with original CAT) then it is only worth $10 - $20

If you leach it you should get about 2.5 - 2.75 gr Pt about .14 gr Pd & about .11 gr Rh (maybe a little more depending on how well you do with your processing) so it will be mostly Pt with a little Pd & Rh

Hope that helps

Kurt


----------



## rewalston (Apr 29, 2014)

kurtak said:


> Rusty
> 
> If the CAT is the original CAT that came with the truck & if the comb is in good complete condition (not bad broken with some blown out &/or not melted) it should have an as is value of $80 - $100 U.S. dollars - if the comb is broken up &/or melted the value will of course will go down based on how much comb is left
> 
> ...


Yep clear as mud Kurt . I might de-can it and just store the comb for now. I'll decide later what to do with it. Selling it to the scrap yard I'd probably only get a few bucks for it.


----------



## rewalston (May 1, 2014)

I called a couple of the auto salvage yards in my area, and none of them will buy it. One place said if I had 100 of them and they could test them, they might be interested. So the choice now is either to scrap it for roughly $4 or de-can it and try to refine it myself.

Rusty


----------



## solar_plasma (May 1, 2014)

refine it or save it until you have some more


----------



## rewalston (May 1, 2014)

solar_plasma said:


> refine it or save it until you have some more


Thanks solar...I'll probably just refine it (and take my time) so that I can get as much. I don't plan on getting any more of them at least not any time soon. I only have one vehicle and don't plan on replacing the cat again on it.

Rusty


----------



## Geo (May 1, 2014)

Rusty, there seems to be a niche that you may be able to fill. Process what you have and see if it's something that you can do and start buying them for cheap. As long as its legal for you to buy them and no one else is buying them at a decent price, you could monopolize the cat refining niche in your area.


----------



## kurtak (May 2, 2014)

Geo said:


> Rusty, there seems to be a niche that you may be able to fill. Process what you have and see if it's something that you can do and start buying them for cheap. As long as its legal for you to buy them and no one else is buying them at a decent price, you could monopolize the cat refining niche in your area.



In deed - if I could buy CATs for tin price I would buy them all day long every day - even if it was to stock pile them & then sell to a legit CAT buyer that's going to pay full value 

I would even look into what it would take to bring them over the boarder to a buyer I the U.S. 

Kurt


----------



## rewalston (May 2, 2014)

I'll try that, first I need Steve's PGM video. And then I'll go from there.

Rusty


----------

