# Types of Automotive Scrap



## Smack (Mar 26, 2016)

Well you'll have a hard time finding a new car or truck that has a throttle cable these days, it's almost all fly by wire now. It's a mistake if you ask me, a throttle cable lasts much longer than these do.


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## UncleBenBen (Mar 26, 2016)

Smack, does the gold trace run under the carbon contacts?


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## Smack (Mar 26, 2016)

I'm not sure Ben. I would guess that it is not under as it would serve no purpose but to waste gold. It's buried in the circuit board box now and I'm not digging for it. I'll see if there are any more of them and do a scratch test if there is more.


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## UncleBenBen (Mar 26, 2016)

It will be interesting to see. With the amount of "wasted gold" I see in much of the medical stuff I come across, I wouldn't be surprised to see it there. I would think it would be engineered much the same as medical electronics as a life safety device that gets designed with the hope that it simply can't fail.

But with the corners that automotive companies tend to cut, I don't guess you can know until you dig in to it!


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## g_axelsson (Mar 27, 2016)

There is no conductor (copper or gold) under the carbon except the beginning and end for electrical contact. To have metal under the carbon would short circuit the resistive element and make it useless.

... correction, the two outer lanes could have metal below the carbon since it looks like they are used only for picking up the voltage.

Göran


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## Toddntucson7 (Apr 28, 2016)

Someone said older high end cars have solid gold (I'm thinking plated) balls for the air bag impact switches located around the cars. Anyone know any truth to that? I'm around tons of broke down quads, motorcycles, travel trailer and anything you can think of off road. Every friend has as least 3 cars on their property and electrical scrap for days. They only thing they took was copper everything else was over our heads. Are there automotive scrap parts experienced refiners go to that we missed? Certain switches etc.


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## Topher_osAUrus (Apr 28, 2016)

Toddntucson7 said:


> Someone said older high end cars have solid gold (I'm thinking plated) balls for the air bag impact switches located ...
> ....Are there automotive scrap parts experienced refiners go to that we missed? Certain switches etc.




I cant say with certainty on 1, ive heard that too.. But, you hear lots of things on the internet.. 

Number 2, I know theres PMs in the ecu, O2 sensors, MAF, (some older) tilt switches has mercury in them, relays, (some)spark plugs, CATs, lead (batteries), aluminum wheels, theres a few i feel I'm missing..

I try to look at it this way..or ask myself these questions
--did it (the scrap piece in question) serve an electrical function?
-how much abuse did it need to withstand?
-what purpose would a PM give to the part beyond copper, etc..

Not even close to a "guideline" but, it just helps a bit..

What helps the most though, is study and research. 

- Im not trying to sound like a condescending jerk, at all.-
But, really though, that's the best bit of advice I can truly give... When you go in search of a question, and you dig to find the answer, along with that discovery, you will most likely find key answers to other questions you have, or didnt know you had yet.

I know this was how it was with me and refining... I had a few trash barrels full of escrap from computer repairs and i thought to myself "how hard can it be..." so i went to youtube...watched a video or 3, and suddenly i knew everything...all from a fast forwarded video with no real details... It can, will be, and is hard. But, the feeling of accomplishment after conquoring a task- an especially difficult one- is a damn good feeling. And well worth paying the "penance" of your time, reading and learning.

Studying up on auto scrap, will not only teach you what has precious metals, but get you more money when you scrap to a yard. Knowledge is power.. Money is power.. Transitive property knowledge=money

This ridiculously long reply probably wasnt even what you were expecting, but, here it is.. 

You may be well served to do a google search for the datasheets of whatever make/model-vehicles part you are going after.. Often times they contain very very good information. That may save you some time of taking something out that ends up being a cheap-o knockoff piece of junk that was made to last ten miles off the lot..

Good luck

-topher, the talkative


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## nickvc (Apr 28, 2016)

I suspect that with the dawning of the age of computers inside cars that there are going to be more values within cars, bikes and lorries, I doubt the manufactures will waste values but they will almost certainly have to use them. When you think how cheaply a computer can be made and then how many engineered and machined pieces can be replaced with electronic controls it's a no brainier for the car companies.
Where those values lie is the question and can only be answered by either reading or by stripping and testing, if a car has sensors linked to its onboard computer then chances are that some will contain values, whether it is worth the effort to get them is another point.


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## butcher (Apr 28, 2016)

At the price of vehicles nowadays adding a hair sized piece of platinum wire to a small sensor is not much cost for the manufacturer, besides the costumer will pay many times over its cost.
Later when the sensor needs replaced he may just pay ten times or more the price for that platinum wire.

For the price of a new vehicle, I think all of the wires in the vehicle should be made of platinum!

I will just drive my old junker, it takes me where I want to go, and the money I save I could buy platinum, then I can just scrap my old junker in the future for copper and other metals.

Computers are getting faster and smaller + better manufacturing technology = less precious metals.


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## jeneje (Apr 28, 2016)

butcher said:


> At the price of vehicles nowadays adding a hair sized piece of platinum wire to a small sensor is not much cost for the manufacturer, besides the costumer will pay many times over its cost.


I know what a new loaded 2016 Limited Chevrolet Malibu costs. I am reminded every month  . It should have Pt and Au in the wiring, a bunch of it,,, :lol:

Ken


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## Topher_osAUrus (Apr 28, 2016)

..I'm with butcher.

I would rather drive my 98 honda accord, or 95 rodeo, 82 camaro, 75 datsun b210...any day of the week than go get something new...and then have to pay an outrageous amount of money every month, for the loan, AND full coverage. And, theyre old enough that they were made so actual regular joe's like myself can troubleshoot and fix them.

Some of the newer trucks literally have to have the body jacked up(lifted) off the frame to get the spark plugs changed during tune up time.

My vehicles have served me well, but, when they are starting to feel a little under the weather, I always tend to their ailments. I expect the honda to outlive me, and when my sons are of driving age, they will learn to drive stick on back country roads on my old tired datsun.

Never liked the idea of "credit"...what happens if i lose my job? Or break a leg(literally),...then i spend my time worrying how i will get from point a to b when some schmuck comes and takes my vehicle (its not their fault, its not my fault...but they want their money... No matter how hard you try to get blood from a turnip... It just wont happen..)

Nothing to do with auto pm scrap.. But, I had to rant.

-topher, the soapbox stander


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