Saw a guy at the junkyard pull a perfect alternator off a 1991 Taurus for $12

I was at Pull-a-Part over on Highway 99 last weekend looking for a door handle for my 97 Explorer. This older dude walks up with an alternator that looked practically new. Said he just checked the date code on it, it was only 2 years old. Someone probably swapped it and then junked the whole car for something stupid. Made me realize I should start checking date stamps on parts before I yank them off wrecked cars. How do you guys figure out if a junk yard part is actually worth the time to pull?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly8983d agoMost Upvoted

Those alternators are pretty common and easy to rebuild too, so I wouldn't put too much stock in a date code on a part that's been sitting in weather. Chances are it was just good luck, not some secret trick to finding gold at the junkyard.

davis.diana3d ago

Two years old on a 91 Taurus would shock me too. That's a heck of a find.