Best spare parts to grab from a U-Pull-it?

[AntHamel]

Hello everyone!
Last Friday I went to a local EZ pull and hit the jackpot. I found a 1991 Previa just like mine- auto, RWD, white exterior, blue interior. It has 245k on the odometer so it had a nice long life. I started pulling parts immediately :lol:. The yard date on it was 5/21 so I was lucky to find it mostly whole. Of course the steering wheel column and cupholder were already broken.
Here's what I got so far: all the interior lights, the taillights, hatch hardware, the ecu, the window switches, door lock switches, power mirror switch, all relays that are by the fuses, the speed sensor, the engine compartment door, the fuse cover, the ac/defrost/harzard buttons, ashtrays, extra storage compartment under the ashtray, extra hubcaps, and a couple extra interior trim pieces that I might need someday.
Anyway, I'm going to go back this weekend a little more prepared, and I'm planning on really stocking up on spare parts. Going to grab the extra coolant tank, alternator, ps pump, and belt tensioners for sure. Probably the gauge cluster as well. I'm thinking maybe the window motors and windshield wiper motors too? Maybe fuel rail and fuel injectors?
What do you guys think I should try and salvage? Any and all suggestions welcome.

[John Kaufmann]

Hello everyone!
Last Friday I went to a local EZ pull and hit the jackpot. I found a 1991 Previa just like mine- auto, RWD, white exterior, blue interior. It has 245k on the odometer so it had a nice long life. I started pulling parts immediately :lol:. The yard date on it was 5/21 so I was lucky to find it mostly whole. ...
Indeed you were. After seeing a Previa in a Pittsburgh yard near me vanish in less than a month last year, I had thought they would be practically unicorns by now. May I ask where you found this? (and - bonus question - where the yard found it?)

BTW: I think your choice of parts is good, but if you are in need of a column shroud, don't write off one that suffers from the usual breakage: with patience and all of the bits, you can at least reconstruct the posts and build them up to probably never break again. (I did - have had my built-up shroud for ~20 of my Previa's 30 years.)

[AntHamel]

[QUOTE=John Kaufmann;46403]May I ask where you found this? (and - bonus question - where the yard found it?)

Sure, van is at the EZ Pull in New Ringgold. They don't inventory their parts online so you have to go in and see what they have. This time I got lucky! I see you're in PA too- it's tough to find these anywhere. It is a massive junkyard and well worth the drive, but they nickle and dime you for every single little thing. Most their prices are very reasonable though, the most expensive thing I grabbed was the ECU for $20.
I've actually managed to fix my steering wheel column shroud- the three screws below broke of course, but for how long that will last I don't know.

[Jonny]

Idle speed/air control valve
Muffler entire rear pipe section (if it's the original Toyota [big round can] in good shape)
Drive shaft
Starter
Brake rotors (they can get deeply pitted by salty roads)
Fan switch (involves serious dash disassembly)
Heater valve switch under hood.
Oil level sensor (attached to sump)

I'll edit this list if I think of more.

[John Kaufmann]

Nice list, Jonny, but I wondered about two items:

>...
Fan switch (involves serious dash disassembly)
Heater valve switch under hood.
...Because (as you said) it takes serious work to get out the fan switch, and because it is such a candidate for replacement (electrically under-designed), I doubt the use of bothering with it. After all that work, how much (if any) life is left? I saw your post on replacing it (better, if trickier, than my tear-it-all-down approach), but even so, I was happy to pay Autozone $50 for a new one (and never think about it again).

Is the heater valve switch different from the heater valve? If so, can you tell me its function, because I don't recall it.

[Jonny]

You're right about the fan switch. I was unaware that new replacements were available.
Heater valve. Typo.

[Previologist]

Hello everyone!
Last Friday I went to a local EZ pull and hit the jackpot. I found a 1991 Previa just like mine- auto, RWD, white exterior, blue interior. It has 245k on the odometer so it had a nice long life. I started pulling parts immediately :lol:. The yard date on it was 5/21 so I was lucky to find it mostly whole. Of course the steering wheel column and cupholder were already broken.
Here's what I got so far: all the interior lights, the taillights, hatch hardware, the ecu, the window switches, door lock switches, power window switch, all relays that are by the fuses, the speed sensor, the engine compartment door, the fuse cover, the ac/defrost/harzard buttons, ashtrays, extra storage compartment under the ashtray, extra hubcaps, and a couple extra interior trim pieces that I might need someday.
Anyway, I'm going to go back this weekend a little more prepared, and I'm planning on really stocking up on spare parts. Going to grab the extra coolant tank, alternator, ps pump, and belt tensioners for sure. Probably the gauge cluster as well. I'm thinking maybe the window motors and windshield wiper motors too? Maybe fuel rail and fuel injectors?
What do you guys think I should try and salvage? Any and all suggestions welcome.

You took stuff that I doubt you'll ever need. Engine compartment door? Fuse cover? How will you break those, lol?

What about door handles? You'll want those, especially the slider and driver's side. Hood? Those get dinged up.

Also you better get there before the weekend, now that you've posted the location. It may all be gone by then, courtesy of some lurker. .

[man_btc]

IF you're really lucky, and it isn't a rustbucket, look for things that typically get badly corroded, like undercarriage braces & brackets, spare-tire holder parts, bumper mounts, small coolant/oil piping and all the unrusted 10/12/14mm bolts you can pocket. Also, it always pays to look for recently-replaced parts, like coolant hoses, radiator, fan motor, steering stalk/switch assemblies or even external sheet metal, especially since it matches your color. I even used the long bolts from an unrusted donor to replace the rusty ones holding my water pump.

[AntHamel]

Thank you all for your suggestions

[AntHamel]

You took stuff that I doubt you'll ever need. Engine compartment door? Fuse cover? How will you break those, lol?

What about door handles? You'll want those, especially the slider and driver's side. Hood? Those get dinged up.

Also you better get there before the weekend, now that you've posted the location. It may all be gone by then, courtesy of some lurker. .


Figured the rubber seal around the access door will eventually rot like they do in the older T.V's. Fuse cover seems like something that could potentially crack in time, 30 year old plastic sitting in the hot sun, you never know. Maybe I'll never use 'em but for a couple bucks why not have a spare. The hood on this one is shot, but I'll definitely grab the door handles- Thank you for your suggestions!

[John Kaufmann]

IF you're really lucky, and it isn't a rustbucket, look for things that typically get badly corroded, like undercarriage braces & brackets, ...
Dan, that is such a good point, I wish I had thought of it (having done exactly that):
11156
11155
You still need to clean them up and refinish, but at least you may find sound metal to work with.

Same for the bumper reinforcements, front and rear, and these spare tire holder hinge pins:
11158

[AntHamel]

went back today and grabbed all that! Thank you!