One reason why used and core engines are drying up in the U.S.

[Henry W]

Here is what took place.

My neighbor just called me two days ago and mentioned that he is getting a replacement D1005 engine installed in his Kubota tractor. The tractor is not under warantee so he is paying for everything. He knows that I have a D1005 and said I might be able to get it cheap. I went over to the dealer yesterday and the service manager I personaly know said the engine has to be sent in to be destroyed and I could not buy it from them. He said it is the new law and there are stiff fines if proper proceedures are not followed. He said he wishes he could sell it to me but the company could get in trouble.

I found out all engine manufactures and tractor, marine, power equipment dealers have follow the guidlines posted below.

Read page 16 and 17 on this link. http://epa.gov/oms/regs/techamendments/420d04004.pdf

Henry

[sailawayrb]

And I am sure we all recall the government program where you could turn in your beater car for a good price reduction on a new car, but the old car's engine had to be first destroyed by the car dealer by putting sand into the oil and run until seized.

Bob B.

[LowGear]

The sand thing sounds like an urban myth.

Casey

[rcavictim]

The sand thing sounds like an urban myth.

Casey

No myth.  You can google it.  Maybe wikipedia has an entry explaining it.

It was a nasty chemical that would destroy all internal running surfaces and sieze the engine, not sand, and the dealer service department had to supervise it.  The engine had to be utterly destroyed beyond re-use to satisfy the program. None of those, many perfectly good cars were ever going to see the road again. Like I said, broken window economics.

[d34]

Many youtube vids out there

[Geno]

Yup, it was some chemical you had to use. Plenty of documentation as well. I install and repair computers in car dealerships. The techs would have a blast wrecking the engines and some would place bets on how long they would last. I've seen more than one twisted con rod or melted piston being used as a paper weight. Some times they would get spit right out of the engine.

Thanks, Gene

[LowGear]

I couldn't watch.

Casey

[quinnf]

I felt sick watching that.  It's like someone killing a dog because nobody wants it.  It just feels morally wrong to destroy something useful.

My dad was dead-heading back to some air base in Missisippi with orders to pick up a crew and a brand new B-29 that he had just been qualified on.  He was to fly to Okinawa to participate in the invasion of Japan.  When he landed there was a delay.  New orders were said to be coming.  Then it was announced that the war with Japan was over.  The last thing he did was to fly that same plane to a scrapyard somewhere out West where they drained the fluids from the tanks and engines, then pushed the taildraggers up on their noses and chopped the wings off the new B-29s to make room prior to dismantling them.  He said he felt physically sick to see a brand new plane treated like that.  

Quinn

[Henry W]

Lots of those good cars could of went to shelters for battered women or other programs to help people out in a need.

What a disgrase.

Henry

[wiebe]

I dont get it ,destroy good parts to be sure that nobody can cheap repair an engine .
And for the cash for clunkers ,what car is the owner going to drive now .again a 6 ore 8cil car??

Sorry everyone i am a european i dont get it,your epa and goverment must be .......
i drive a little toyota 1300cc 75 hp.its 16 years old stil running strong .1l on 16 km .

Greetings Wiebe.

[deeiche]

It was not mandatory and hopefully it was a one time, stupid, thing.  I believe some of the Europeans countries pulled the same stunt.

It could get worse.  The Japanese don't allow vehicles with > 100k km on their roads.  Which is why there is so much used JDM parts available around the world.

I dont get it ,destroy good parts to be sure that nobody can cheap repair an engine .
And for the cash for clunkers ,what car is the owner going to drive now .again a 6 ore 8cil car??

Sorry everyone i am a european i dont get it,your epa and goverment must be .......
i drive a little toyota 1300cc 75 hp.its 16 years old stil running strong .1l on 16 km .

Greetings Wiebe.

[sailawayrb]

The program was in 2009 and called "Cash for Clunkers".  To be 100% accurate, they used a solution of 40% sodium silicate (SiO2/Na2))/60% water to kill the engines.  Here's the DOT procedure that the dealers were required to use to kill the cars to comply with the program rules:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/07/cash-for-clunkers-trade-ins-must-be-crushed-shredded/

You can download the PDF to get entire rules of the program.  It was quite popular and many cars were permanently taken off the road under it.

Bob B.

[cgwymp]

Sorry everyone i am a european i dont get it,your epa and goverment must be .......

The primary idea was to provide an incentive for people to buy new cars to help the ailing automakers. New car buyers got a subsidy to put toward a new car in exchange for having their old car destroyed. It was a desperation move to try to shore up the collapsing auto indutry. It was popular and did help drive new car sales for a while. As a secondary effect an older, "dirtier" car would be removed from the road. People may agree or disagree with the program, but I hope at least that helps you understand the rationale behind it.

[DanG]

It was quite popular and many cars were permanently taken off the road

The clear major beneficiary of the whole program was Ford Motors as people swapped their old F-150 pickup trucks for new one.

At the time I was sentimental about keeping my 1999 4x4 shortbed step-side and did not pursue upgrading. Major mistake!

[vdubnut62]

I understand the rationale behind it, redistribution of wealth and governmental dumassness.
Ron