Anyone ever break down automotive waterpumps???

Anyone ever break down or process alum. waterpumps so you can get clean cast rate on the housings? They have quite a bit of cast alum. on them. I've tried breaking them with a hammer but it's pretty hard. A friend said he was able to "press" the impeller and shaft apart and made it work but said it took awhile and wasn't worth it. I hate turning these into the yard as unclean cast 40% or whatever I get. There is more aluminum on them then iron IMO then 40% and the alum. is clean.

Originally Posted by corycouch

First I've been to sirscraps watering hole tonight but, gravy grabber go as your name implies, a water pump weighs 4 to 8lbs. Unless your working on pulled motors they are not worth pulling (for scrap value) or even breaking down. To be honest you could probably get breakage for it depending on your yard 12 to 20 cents a lb. breakage is a good deal you get paid extra for steel but less for aluminum without the hassle of breaking it down. Take the gravy and run, but IMO I would just leave them on as you can get breakage for about any motor.

haha, that's cool as hek

Originally Posted by corycouch

First I've been to sirscraps watering hole tonight but, gravy grabber go as your name implies, a water pump weighs 4 to 8lbs. Unless your working on pulled motors they are not worth pulling (for scrap value) or even breaking down. To be honest you could probably get breakage for it depending on your yard 12 to 20 cents a lb. breakage is a good deal you get paid extra for steel but less for aluminum without the hassle of breaking it down. Take the gravy and run, but IMO I would just leave them on as you can get breakage for about any motor.

Well I don't pull them from motors I change them out at my job as a mechanic so they are not part of a bigger motor or anything. Most of them get tossed so I save them all and turn them in. I was just thinking I could break them down and get a better price since usually I get like .20 a lb. for them unclean.

I vote with everyone else, waste of time. Though I have been known to pull alu intakes and clean them, only if they are big and easy to pull. And try dropping a 40lb dumbell on the items you are trying to break, I have found it works better than a hammer.(and keep your feet out of the way, thats a mistake you will only make once)

I totally misrread the title of this thread...I thought it said automotive weapons...yessh.

Time to put the cooler away.

Sirscrapalot - In a good place.

Hit and run tactics...lame, but its all I could think of

Originally Posted by corycouch

To be honest you will have to run a couple tests, just remember what you gain in clean aluminum you will lose in steel and I'm talking about losing price wise not by volume, some things are worth breaking down some are not. An example for me is, when I break down radiators I cut the tanks off with a saw, leave the aluminum on the tank and turn in the radiator as clean, turn in the plastic tanks with the aluminum still attached even some hose for breakage, I do break down farther the ones with brass tubes.

Wow really? I just bend the tabs back on one side with channel locks then take the hammer handle and insert it in the hose hole and yank it off and toss the tank. The tank with the brass cooler gets a hammer smash to free it. I can break down a radiator in like 2-3 mins. tops. I deal with mostly all aluminum bodies and plastic tanks (newer style) If it's copper/alum. combo I will cut the ends off or whatever.

On the Radiator side tanks >> Same here , but a different method

I use the sawzall and cut off the tanks while still in the car, leaving me the clean aluminum
The plastic tanks I toss into a plastic bin until I have a bunch
Then on a rainy day when I don't want to work outside I belly up to the big vise and use the Sawzall to cut the in and out of the cooler
Only takes a min
I just traded the last 6 months in for about $500.00 Christmas money

lol, I don't think it would work good for me if I started breaking it down in the vehicle. I'm a mechanic for a living so I save them and break them down later. That's a funny mental picture though!

I assume you work at a shop. Is there a press? Try that during your off time if they allow that. Weigh before/after and see what your margins are.

Most of the replies are spot on, but if you're like me you just have to "see the numbers" for yourself.

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

I assume you work at a shop. Is there a press? Try that during your off time if they allow that. Weigh before/after and see what your margins are.

Most of the replies are spot on, but if you're like me you just have to "see the numbers" for yourself.

I do work in a shop but I have my own press at home too. I guess I would have to get price on unclean then unpress the pulley and impeller off and weigh the alum. part and see what pays more.

Gravy, if you're getting these via servicing vehicles, ...doesn't the supplier have a core charge of like $25 or 30? in which case return to supplier for said core charge.

Originally Posted by Jvcr1

Gravy, if you're getting these via servicing vehicles, ...doesn't the supplier have a core charge of like $25 or 30? in which case return to supplier for said core charge.

Waterpumps do not have cores at least factory ones do not at this time. I've heard of this on the aftermarket side but not at the dealer. Wheels, cat. convertors, starters and alternators and axle shafts all have cores though. Just not waterpumps.

On a side note I replaced a air suspension compressor awhile back and I scrapped that on some down time I had. Had some good alum. cast pieces and the motor inside had some nice copper. If the copper is motor winding copper what grade is it??