I spent $2500 on car repairs and all I got was a giant's paperweight
September 2, 2010 4:19 PM Subscribe
Is there any way I can turn a broken flywheel and clutch into some pocket money?
I had the clutch and flywheel in my car replaced a few months ago, and I've had the old parts sitting in a box in my trunk since then. The parts are irretrievably broken, but they're so absurdly dense (I can't even lift the ream-of-paper-sized box myself) and the replacement parts were so absurdly expensive (more than a thousand dollars for the flywheel alone) that I'm wondering if there's something better I can do with these parts than just heaving them into the garbage. (Preferably something that will yield me a little bit of money.) Sell them for scrap metal? Build a found-item sculpture and auction it for a million dollars?
I'm in Chicago and the parts are from a Hyundai, if it's relevant.
I had the clutch and flywheel in my car replaced a few months ago, and I've had the old parts sitting in a box in my trunk since then. The parts are irretrievably broken, but they're so absurdly dense (I can't even lift the ream-of-paper-sized box myself) and the replacement parts were so absurdly expensive (more than a thousand dollars for the flywheel alone) that I'm wondering if there's something better I can do with these parts than just heaving them into the garbage. (Preferably something that will yield me a little bit of money.) Sell them for scrap metal? Build a found-item sculpture and auction it for a million dollars?
I'm in Chicago and the parts are from a Hyundai, if it's relevant.
The reason the mechanic gave them to you is that in the past there were shops which would tell you that such parts needed to be replaced even though they didn't. Because you got the old parts, you can tell (or get a friend to tell) that they really did need to be replaced.
So giving you the parts is a way for the shop to prove that they're not trying to rip you off by doing unnecessary work. They're not giving them to you because there is any resale value there. There isn't.
You could take the parts to a salvage place, and they might be willing to take them, but they're not going to pay for them. The clutch, in particular, is a real problem because the pads on it contain asbestos and nowadays that's considered "hazardous waste".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:52 PM on September 2, 2010
So giving you the parts is a way for the shop to prove that they're not trying to rip you off by doing unnecessary work. They're not giving them to you because there is any resale value there. There isn't.
You could take the parts to a salvage place, and they might be willing to take them, but they're not going to pay for them. The clutch, in particular, is a real problem because the pads on it contain asbestos and nowadays that's considered "hazardous waste".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:52 PM on September 2, 2010
Unless the flywheel can be resurfaced, it's only good for scrap. A broken clutch can be used as a boat anchor.
posted by WhiteWhale at 5:18 PM on September 2, 2010
posted by WhiteWhale at 5:18 PM on September 2, 2010
If you want to see what these sorts of parts go for when purchased from a junk yard, go to car-part.com and enter your vehicle info.
Broken clutch parts (the disc and pressure plate) have no mechanical value. They may have value as scrap metal, but it's negligible. Sometimes it is possible for a pressure plate to be refurbished, but this is not the norm.
Your old flywheel may have some resale value if it can be resurfaced. Assuming it is in one piece and the only damage is to the actual clutch mating surface, the key question is if it will be thick enough to be within Hyundai's specs after its surface has been ground or turned flat. Any competent local machinist/machine shop can tell you this. In my area, a standard price for having a flywheel resurfaced by a machine shop is around $75, give or take.
posted by mosk at 5:34 PM on September 2, 2010
Broken clutch parts (the disc and pressure plate) have no mechanical value. They may have value as scrap metal, but it's negligible. Sometimes it is possible for a pressure plate to be refurbished, but this is not the norm.
Your old flywheel may have some resale value if it can be resurfaced. Assuming it is in one piece and the only damage is to the actual clutch mating surface, the key question is if it will be thick enough to be within Hyundai's specs after its surface has been ground or turned flat. Any competent local machinist/machine shop can tell you this. In my area, a standard price for having a flywheel resurfaced by a machine shop is around $75, give or take.
posted by mosk at 5:34 PM on September 2, 2010
... The clutch, in particular, is a real problem because the pads on it contain asbestos and nowadays that's considered "hazardous waste".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:52 PM on September 2 [+] [!]
Much to my surprise, I find that this is correct. Here in Oz it has been banned for some years (though of course there will be lots of cars with those parts around for a looong time yet), but apparently it is still ok (as in legal) in USA. A quick google brought this up:
Employers of professional automotive technicians must ensure that they or their waste haulers dispose of waste that contains brake or clutch dust, including wet rags used to wipe this dust, in accordance with Federal and local regulations, including the OSHA asbestos waste disposal regulations. Brake and clutch dust and other asbestos waste must be collected and disposed of in sealed, impermeable containers that are appropriately labeled (see 29 CFR 1910.1001(k)(6) and 29 CFR 1910.1001(j)(4)). These regulations do not apply to home mechanics. For home mechanics, EPA recommends that asbestos waste be double bagged and disposed of following appropriate local regulations to minimize exposure. You may contact your state asbestos representative (PDF) (16 pp, 172K) for more disposal and other information.
Suggest you take it back to your mechanic and let him worry about it.
When offered this stuff, my usual reaction is to say 'thanks, but where is your waste bin?'.
posted by GeeEmm at 5:37 PM on September 2, 2010
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:52 PM on September 2 [+] [!]
Much to my surprise, I find that this is correct. Here in Oz it has been banned for some years (though of course there will be lots of cars with those parts around for a looong time yet), but apparently it is still ok (as in legal) in USA. A quick google brought this up:
Employers of professional automotive technicians must ensure that they or their waste haulers dispose of waste that contains brake or clutch dust, including wet rags used to wipe this dust, in accordance with Federal and local regulations, including the OSHA asbestos waste disposal regulations. Brake and clutch dust and other asbestos waste must be collected and disposed of in sealed, impermeable containers that are appropriately labeled (see 29 CFR 1910.1001(k)(6) and 29 CFR 1910.1001(j)(4)). These regulations do not apply to home mechanics. For home mechanics, EPA recommends that asbestos waste be double bagged and disposed of following appropriate local regulations to minimize exposure. You may contact your state asbestos representative (PDF) (16 pp, 172K) for more disposal and other information.
Suggest you take it back to your mechanic and let him worry about it.
When offered this stuff, my usual reaction is to say 'thanks, but where is your waste bin?'.
posted by GeeEmm at 5:37 PM on September 2, 2010
Whatever you do, get the parts out of your trunk. you're wasting fuel and therefore money by hauling around something heavy enough that you can't lift it.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:43 PM on September 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:43 PM on September 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
... The clutch, in particular, is a real problem because the pads on it contain asbestos and nowadays that's considered "hazardous waste".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:52 PM on September 2 [+] [!]
Much to my surprise, I find that this is correct.
Well. It used to be. There isn't any asbestos in modern brake pads or clutches. The guidelines are fo the removal and disposal of the older styles still maybe found on the road. These components haven't contained asbestos for a while.
OP: You can weight in the parts for scrap, but you won't get too much. They're effectively worth nothing, so art may be your best bet.
posted by Brockles at 6:01 PM on September 2, 2010
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:52 PM on September 2 [+] [!]
Much to my surprise, I find that this is correct.
Well. It used to be. There isn't any asbestos in modern brake pads or clutches. The guidelines are fo the removal and disposal of the older styles still maybe found on the road. These components haven't contained asbestos for a while.
OP: You can weight in the parts for scrap, but you won't get too much. They're effectively worth nothing, so art may be your best bet.
posted by Brockles at 6:01 PM on September 2, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers -- garbage it is! Since my car is from 2002, I'm assuming I don't have to worry about asbestos and I can just chuck it in my dumpster. I know the reason the mechanic offers you the part is so that you can tell if he/she is cheating you, but I guess my line of reasoning was "how could this huge hunk of metal cost so much/be so dense without containing any minimally valuable materials?" Alas, it appears that I was wrong.
Mayor Curley, I suppose I should have included the caveat that I'm pretty wimpy; the box probably weighs about 60-70 pounds, which I would imagine is insignificant compared to the weight of the car, though I am open to being shown otherwise.
posted by pluckemin at 6:56 PM on September 2, 2010
Mayor Curley, I suppose I should have included the caveat that I'm pretty wimpy; the box probably weighs about 60-70 pounds, which I would imagine is insignificant compared to the weight of the car, though I am open to being shown otherwise.
posted by pluckemin at 6:56 PM on September 2, 2010
Around here, steel/iron scrap goes for around $.08 per pound. the flywheel probably weighs around 20-30 Lbs, so $2-3.00? not worth bringing to the scrapper.
maybe bring it back to the shop and ask where their scrap pile is. toss t on and know that you kept it out of the landfill. (also gave somebody a couple bucks for dealing with it)
posted by KenManiac at 7:17 PM on September 2, 2010
maybe bring it back to the shop and ask where their scrap pile is. toss t on and know that you kept it out of the landfill. (also gave somebody a couple bucks for dealing with it)
posted by KenManiac at 7:17 PM on September 2, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by saladin at 4:47 PM on September 2, 2010