Quality Junk – Yes
Can you get quality auto parts at a junkyard? You CAN, but does that mean all the time? No, I don't think so. I believe it all depends on what you are looking for in parts. Cars, being cars, have alot of parts on them, therefore it would be logical to assume that the majority of those parts are good, quality parts, right? Maybe we should look at a car from the mechanic's end of things, that is, as nothing but a collection of parts brought together to create a machine.
Front end parts are always a quality item. Steering components like tie rods, idler/pitman arms, and ball joints wear out quite often and are easy to check on a junkyard car to see if they are alright to use. Gear boxes and rack& pinions are more hydraulic pieces and can't be known for quality unless the vehicle is started. But check for leaks and see if the power stearing reseviour is full. If everything seems alright, you might be on to something. Suspension parts like springs, struts and shocks need to be checked for cracks or leaking otherwise they should be alright most of the time.
Brakes are out altogether. Rotors tend to warp and rust in the rain and wet weather and drums need to be measured before buying. Brake lines are usually rusty and unsafe. Sometimes you can get away with a master cylinder, but all in all, I wouldn't spend much on brakes since their usually pretty cheap at the parts store anyway.
Electrical systems are another bad item on the junkyard list. The constant exposure to moisture and the elements due to a hood that's been left open for so long or busted out windows makes these pieces quite unreliable. Electrical parts do not do well in water, ever! Skip them unless the junkyard has them on the shelf inside like they do with many stereo's and batteries.
Tires are okay if you really need tires and know how to check them for cracking, leaks and treadwear. Same for rims, though rims are usually always alright.
Body parts, so long as they have no major damage are usually pretty good as well. Doors, bumpers, lens covers, hoods, and fenders always make work at a body shop much cheaper when you can find these things at the boneyard.
Cooling system parts are a little bothersome. Radiators have to be full of coolant to make sure there are no leaks unless you can see the telltale signs of leaks and you never know if the thermostate is working unless you drop it in really hot water to see if it opens but you'll never really know if it is suppose to open at the right temperature. Hoses must be checked for cracking and swelling and to see if they feel mushy. These are all signs of hose failure. Heater cores act like mini raidiators. Check for leaks and cracking. If you get a waterpump make sure that it makes no noise as it turns or leaking.
Don't trust anything from a fuel system unless you know of a way to test the devices while you are there and that tends to be pretty difficult. Fuel pumps need to be removed and tested for power and flow. Same goes for injectors. Water may have collected somewhere in the lines or engine or tank and rusted everything to nothing so I wouldn't advise bothering with these. Carburators are different. If you buy one, buy a rebuild kit for fourteen dollars and rebuild it. Then your good to go.
Next are intake manifolds, heads and blocks. Items like these can be had in great ways. Just remember, when you pull them apart, check the gaskets. If it seems that the headgaskets look bad, have the heads checked for warpage and make sure they get machined properly at a machine shop. Have the valves re-sealed while your at it. Intake manifolds are almost always okay to get because they don't normally go bad. If you find a block your looking for, again, make sure there are no signs of headgasket damage. There might be a chance that the block itself may have a crack in it so check thoroughly!
Internal block parts like crankshafts, rods and pistons have to be checked after removal for scoring or looseness. If the pins are broken on the pistons they need to be replaced and it is always a good thing to have the crank re-surfaced for the new bearings.
Everything else may just be okay. Just remember, a car is nothing more than a collection of parts brought together in a specified manner to create a large moving machine through various systems like cooling, brakes, fuel, and steering and suspension as well as internal combustion and once you know their weaknesses, you know what to look for in quality parts.
