Average Radiator Ends Price

60-day market: price lists from 13 yards. As of 3/4/2026.
$0.87/ lb -$0.45 (10.8%)
GT = Gross Ton (2240 lbs)
Avg: $0.87
Lowest price $0.60
Highest price$1.35Who pays the most? ⟶
How to read a yard's offer
  • Low (up to $0.60): Floor price, typically for small loads.
  • Mid ($0.87): A fair deal for standard quantities.
  • High ($1.35+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
52-week price range
Over the past year, prices ranged from $0.29 to $2.99.
Mar '25Jun '25Sep '25Dec '25Today
Market response to COMEX pricing
Spread vs. exchange (60-day avg): ~83.6% (-$4.43/lb). Typical spread for this grade: 39%–80%
⚠️ Local prices haven’t caught up with the exchange yet
Market snapshot
Upward trend. Prices have been rising over the past 3 months.
Pricing verified from 13 live board rates today.

Where to Sell Radiator Ends in the US

Don't just toss your cut-off radiator tanks into the nearest bin. With national prices ranging from $0.60 for dirty loads to $1.35 for clean, stripped material, it pays to shop around. We recommend comparing quotes from different yards in the US and calling ahead to confirm their specific grading rules for cast aluminum or brass radiator ends.

💼 Scrap yard owners: Post your buy prices and get more customers
By price
By date
Updated 17 days ago

Sgt. Scrap

Listed as: ACR Ends
610 Crescent Blvd, Gloucester City, NJ 08030 Get Directions
$0.82 / lb
Updated 17 days ago

Sgt. Scrap

Listed as: ACR Ends
9105 Burrough Dover Ln, Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Get Directions
$0.82 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Wichita Material Recovery - WMR - 303-9303

Listed as: Reefer Ends
624 E Morris St, Wichita, KS 67211 Get Directions
$1.35 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

E-Z Money Recycling LLC

Listed as: Al/Cu/Rad Ends
1234 S 7th St, Phoenix Get Directions
$1.05 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Empire Metal Recycling

Listed as: AC Ends
277 Suburban Dr, Suffolk, VA 23434 Get Directions
$1.00 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Paz Metals Inc.

Listed as: Radiator Ends
4315 Run Way Get Directions
$0.60 / lb

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Hundreds of people search here every day for the best scrap metal prices. Start capturing ready-to-sell leads today.

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Radiator Ends vs. Other Cooling Scrap

The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.

Copper & Brass Radiators (Clean) Based on 6 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.85 / lb
Trend (30d): +22.7%
Price analytics
Pure Copper Radiators Based on 4 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.62 / lb
Trend (30d): -10.0%
Price analytics
Aluminum Copper Radiators (ACR) Based on 11 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.24 / lb
Trend (30d): +2.0%
Price analytics
Irony Aluminum Copper Radiators (Dirty ACR) Based on 7 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.20 / lb
Trend (30d): +3.1%
Price analytics
Irony Copper & Brass Radiators Based on 17 scrap yards
Avg price:$1.69 / lb
Trend (30d): +25.9%
Price analytics
Coolers & Condensers Based on 7 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.54 / lb
Trend (90d): 0.4%
Price analytics
Aluminum Radiators (Clean) Based on 15 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.49 / lb
Trend (90d): +30.6%
Price analytics
Irony Aluminum Radiators Based on 8 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.46 / lb
Trend (90d): +122.0%
Price analytics

Historical Price Trends for Radiator Ends

This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.

Radiator Ends: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)

Avg scrap yard price

$0.87
Scrap metal dealers
Spread: -$4.43/lb
vs. exchange

World market price (COMEX)

$5.3003
✓ For 99.9% pure refined metal
💡 Why is the scrap yard price lower than the exchange? The COMEX price is the global benchmark for 99.99% pure refined metal traded in large institutional contracts. The gap between COMEX and what you pocket is the yard’s margin — it covers sorting, cleaning, transport to the mill, and protects them against sudden price drops.

Radiator Ends: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History

Analyst take: This month’s average spread between scrap yard prices and the world market for Radiator Ends is 83.6%. That’s in line with the typical range for this grade (81%–87%). Local yards are offering fair market rates. Check offers in your area ↑
PeriodWorld price (per lb)Scrap yard price (per lb)Spread vs. exchange
March 2026 (current)$5.764324$2.11-$3.66 (63.4%)
February 2026$5.880136$1.77-$4.11 (70%)
January 2026$5.894887$3.54-$2.36 (40%)
December 2025$5.497742$2.90-$2.60 (47.3%)
November 2025$5.064033$1.24-$3.82 (75.5%)
October 2025$5.050242$1.03-$4.02 (79.6%)
September 2025$4.662367$1.81-$2.85 (61.1%)
August 2025$4.477984$1.08-$3.40 (75.8%)
July 2025$5.482645$2.61-$2.87 (52.3%)
June 2025$4.883233$2.34-$2.54 (52%)
May 2025$4.686194$2.81-$1.87 (40%)
April 2025$4.654267$2.12-$2.54 (54.5%)
March 2025$4.919484$2.27-$2.65 (53.9%)
February 2025$4.558107$2.74-$1.82 (40%)
January 2025$4.269774$1.08-$3.19 (74.7%)
December 2024$4.157855$2.10-$2.06 (49.5%)
November 2024$4.199383$2.52-$1.68 (40%)
October 2024$4.431839$2.66-$1.77 (40%)
September 2024$4.292683$1.50-$2.80 (65.2%)
August 2024$4.121839$2.47-$1.65 (40%)
July 2024$4.375242$2.20-$2.18 (49.8%)
June 2024$4.491083$2.11-$2.39 (53.1%)
May 2024$4.75471$2.85-$1.90 (40%)
April 2024$4.363717$2.09-$2.27 (52%)
March 2024$3.983645$2.33-$1.66 (41.6%)
February 2024$3.801776$1.82-$1.98 (52.2%)
January 2024$3.811306$2.29-$1.52 (40%)
December 2023$3.871226$1.91-$1.96 (50.6%)
November 2023$3.720817$1.83-$1.89 (50.8%)
October 2023$3.609306$1.73-$1.87 (51.9%)
September 2023$3.759833$1.85-$1.91 (50.8%)
August 2023$3.776097$2.27-$1.51 (40%)
July 2023$3.8455$2.31-$1.54 (40%)
June 2023$3.804983$2.28-$1.52 (40%)
May 2023$3.751484$2.25-$1.50 (40%)
April 2023$4.007367$1.91-$2.10 (52.4%)
March 2023$4.02821$2.42-$1.61 (40%)
February 2023$4.06475$2.44-$1.63 (40%)
January 2023$4.115113$2.47-$1.65 (40%)
December 2022$3.820726$2.29-$1.53 (40%)
November 2022$3.674017$1.77-$1.90 (51.8%)
October 2022$3.430419$2.01-$1.42 (41.3%)
September 2022$3.455283$1.77-$1.69 (48.8%)
August 2022$3.616468$1.72-$1.90 (52.6%)
July 2022$3.4195$2.05-$1.37 (40%)
June 2022$4.118667$2.47-$1.65 (40%)
May 2022$4.257274$1.26-$2.99 (70.3%)
April 2022$4.649533$2.79-$1.86 (40%)
March 2022$4.707694$2.83-$1.88 (40%)
February 2022$4.502304$2.70-$1.80 (40%)
January 2022$4.4345$2.28-$2.15 (48.5%)
December 2021$4.332226$2.26-$2.07 (47.9%)
November 2021$4.367567$1.99-$2.37 (54.4%)
October 2021$4.432371$2.66-$1.77 (40%)
September 2021$4.2864$2.57-$1.71 (40%)
August 2021$4.302984$2.52-$1.78 (41.5%)
July 2021$4.347452$2.17-$2.18 (50.1%)
June 2021$4.388783$2.63-$1.76 (40%)
May 2021$4.618871$2.77-$1.85 (40%)
April 2021$4.192633$2.51-$1.68 (40%)
March 2021$4.084726$2.45-$1.63 (40%)
February 2021$3.861$1.80-$2.06 (53.3%)
January 2021$3.607435$1.73-$1.88 (52%)
December 2020$3.546903$2.13-$1.42 (40%)
November 2020$3.21755$1.51-$1.71 (53.2%)
October 2020$3.060177$1.84-$1.22 (40%)
September 2020$3.0352$1.82-$1.21 (40%)
August 2020$2.909726$1.75-$1.16 (40%)
July 2020$2.867581$1.72-$1.15 (40%)
June 2020$2.5983$1.56-$1.04 (40%)
May 2020$2.377403$1.43-$0.95 (40%)
April 2020$2.28595$1.37-$0.91 (40%)
March 2020$2.356968$1.41-$0.94 (40%)
February 2020$2.574707$1.54-$1.03 (40.1%)
January 2020$2.759935$1.66-$1.10 (40%)
December 2019$2.774145$1.67-$1.11 (39.9%)
November 2019$2.660717$1.60-$1.06 (40%)
October 2019$2.621613$1.57-$1.05 (40%)
September 2019$2.615533$1.57-$1.05 (40%)
August 2019$2.576597$1.55-$1.03 (40%)
July 2019$2.693468$1.62-$1.08 (40%)
June 2019$2.671833$1.60-$1.07 (40%)
May 2019$2.7395$1.64-$1.10 (40%)
April 2019$2.914283$1.75-$1.17 (40%)
March 2019$2.902032$1.74-$1.16 (40%)
February 2019$2.845929$1.71-$1.14 (40%)
January 2019$2.675468$1.61-$1.07 (40%)
December 2018$2.724823$1.64-$1.09 (40%)
November 2018$2.7578$1.65-$1.10 (40%)
October 2018$2.768435$1.66-$1.11 (40%)
September 2018$2.712817$1.63-$1.09 (40%)
August 2018$2.706081$1.62-$1.08 (40%)
July 2018$2.807597$1.69-$1.12 (40%)
June 2018$3.1238$1.87-$1.25 (40%)
May 2018$3.080177$1.85-$1.23 (40%)
April 2018$3.08635$1.85-$1.23 (40%)
March 2018$3.080758$1.85-$1.23 (40%)
February 2018$3.17875$1.91-$1.27 (40%)
January 2018$3.215161$1.93-$1.29 (40%)
December 2017$3.134855$1.88-$1.25 (40%)
November 2017$3.105817$1.86-$1.24 (40%)
October 2017$3.103887$1.86-$1.24 (40%)
September 2017$3.00865$1.80-$1.20 (40%)
August 2017$2.957097$1.77-$1.18 (40%)
July 2017$2.732484$1.64-$1.09 (40%)
June 2017$2.605467$1.56-$1.04 (40%)
May 2017$2.556677$1.53-$1.02 (40%)
April 2017$2.595367$1.56-$1.04 (40%)
March 2017$2.653452$1.59-$1.06 (40.1%)
February 2017$2.69925$1.62-$1.08 (40%)
January 2017$2.622903$1.57-$1.05 (40%)
December 2016$2.567774$1.54-$1.03 (40%)
November 2016$2.478267$1.49-$0.99 (40%)
October 2016$2.148903$1.29-$0.86 (40%)
September 2016$2.139533$1.28-$0.86 (40%)
August 2016$2.14129$1.29-$0.86 (40%)
July 2016$2.210419$1.33-$0.88 (40%)
June 2016$2.093733$1.26-$0.84 (40%)
May 2016$2.111387$1.27-$0.84 (40%)
April 2016$2.183033$1.31-$0.87 (40%)
March 2016$2.24029$1.34-$0.90 (40%)
February 2016$2.076759$1.25-$0.83 (40%)
January 2016$2.022419$1.21-$0.81 (40%)
December 2015$2.094355$1.26-$0.84 (40%)
November 2015$2.150933$1.29-$0.86 (40%)
October 2015$2.368065$1.42-$0.95 (40%)
September 2015$2.360633$1.42-$0.94 (40%)
August 2015$2.326516$1.40-$0.93 (39.9%)
July 2015$2.490129$1.50-$0.99 (39.9%)
June 2015$2.6549$1.59-$1.06 (40%)
May 2015$2.866032$1.72-$1.15 (40%)
April 2015$2.745367$1.65-$1.10 (40%)
March 2015$2.697548$1.62-$1.08 (40%)
February 2015$2.600036$1.56-$1.04 (40%)
January 2015$2.636548$1.58-$1.05 (40%)
December 2014$2.877161$1.73-$1.15 (40%)
November 2014$3.002833$1.80-$1.20 (40%)
October 2014$3.029226$1.82-$1.21 (40%)
September 2014$3.098933$1.86-$1.24 (40%)
August 2014$3.169968$1.90-$1.27 (40%)
July 2014$3.240355$1.94-$1.30 (40%)
June 2014$3.098533$1.86-$1.24 (40%)
May 2014$3.11971$1.87-$1.25 (40%)
April 2014$3.051767$1.83-$1.22 (40%)
March 2014$3.026645$1.82-$1.21 (40%)
February 2014$3.238036$1.94-$1.29 (40%)
January 2014$3.318516$1.99-$1.33 (40%)
December 2013$3.299065$1.98-$1.32 (40%)
November 2013$3.218167$1.93-$1.29 (40%)
October 2013$3.285742$1.97-$1.31 (40%)
September 2013$3.274767$1.96-$1.31 (40%)
August 2013$3.286226$1.97-$1.31 (40%)
July 2013$3.131935$1.88-$1.25 (40%)
June 2013$3.181$1.91-$1.27 (40%)
May 2013$3.305935$1.98-$1.32 (40%)
April 2013$3.270167$1.96-$1.31 (40%)
March 2013$3.481806$2.09-$1.39 (40%)
February 2013$3.685071$2.21-$1.47 (40%)
January 2013$3.677839$2.21-$1.47 (40%)
December 2012$3.632452$2.18-$1.45 (40%)
November 2012$3.500333$2.10-$1.40 (40%)
October 2012$3.667871$2.20-$1.47 (40%)
September 2012$3.690133$2.21-$1.48 (40%)
August 2012$3.412871$2.05-$1.36 (40%)
July 2012$3.447032$2.07-$1.38 (40%)
June 2012$3.354433$2.01-$1.34 (40%)
May 2012$3.560323$2.14-$1.42 (40%)
April 2012$3.732267$2.24-$1.49 (40%)
March 2012$3.84871$2.31-$1.54 (40%)
February 2012$3.842586$2.31-$1.54 (40%)
January 2012$3.660258$2.20-$1.46 (40%)
December 2011$3.45271$2.07-$1.38 (40%)
November 2011$3.4335$2.06-$1.37 (40%)
October 2011$3.352387$2.01-$1.34 (40%)
September 2011$3.780433$2.27-$1.51 (40%)
August 2011$4.075194$2.44-$1.63 (40%)
July 2011$4.404839$2.64-$1.76 (40%)
June 2011$4.104083$2.46-$1.64 (40%)
May 2011$4.072129$2.44-$1.63 (40%)
April 2011$4.330933$2.60-$1.73 (40%)
March 2011$4.346323$2.61-$1.74 (40%)
February 2011$4.513982$2.71-$1.81 (40%)
January 2011$4.355826$2.61-$1.74 (40%)
December 2010$4.164142$2.50-$1.67 (40%)
November 2010$3.846847$2.31-$1.54 (40%)
October 2010$3.775165$2.27-$1.51 (40%)
September 2010$3.5841$2.09-$1.50 (41.8%)

Radiator Ends Scrap Price History — Daily Data

A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.

DateAvg price (per lb)ChangeRange (Low/High)
3/4/2026$0.82 / lb-$0.07$0.82 - $0.82
2/17/2026$0.89 / lb+$0.19$0.60 - $1.35
2/11/2026$0.70 / lb-$0.01$0.70 - $0.70
12/5/2025$0.71 / lb+$0.11$0.66 - $0.80
11/20/2025$0.60 / lb+$0.06$0.60 - $0.60
11/11/2025$0.54 / lb— no change$0.54 - $0.54
11/5/2025$0.54 / lb-$0.05$0.54 - $0.54
10/24/2025$0.59 / lb-$0.01$0.59 - $0.59
10/16/2025$0.60 / lb+$0.10$0.60 - $0.60
10/15/2025$0.50 / lb-$0.70$0.50 - $0.50
10/10/2025$1.20 / lb+$0.45$1.20 - $1.20
10/9/2025$0.75 / lb-$0.35$0.75 - $0.75
9/29/2025$1.10 / lb+$0.57$1.10 - $1.10
9/7/2025$0.53 / lb-$0.07$0.53 - $0.53
8/30/2025$0.60 / lb+$0.02$0.60 - $0.60
8/29/2025$0.58 / lb-$0.37$0.58 - $0.58
8/24/2025$0.95 / lb+$0.25$0.95 - $0.95
8/23/2025$0.70 / lb+$0.18$0.70 - $0.70
8/10/2025$0.52 / lb-$0.53$0.52 - $0.52
7/20/2025$1.05 / lb+$0.56$1.05 - $1.05
7/1/2025$0.49 / lb+$0.20$0.49 - $0.49
4/21/2025$0.29 / lb-$0.81$0.29 - $0.29
3/18/2025$1.10 / lb+$0.60$1.10 - $1.10
3/17/2025$0.50 / lb— no change$0.50 - $0.50
1/25/2025$0.50 / lb-$0.02$0.50 - $0.50
1/19/2025$0.52 / lb+$0.10$0.52 - $0.52
1/9/2025$0.42 / lb-$0.58$0.42 - $0.42
12/13/2024$1.00 / lb+$0.54$1.00 - $1.00
9/26/2024$0.46 / lb+$0.03$0.46 - $0.46
9/19/2024$0.43 / lb-$0.67$0.43 - $0.43
7/13/2024$1.10 / lb+$0.61$1.10 - $1.10
6/18/2024$0.49 / lb-$0.11$0.49 - $0.49
4/15/2024$0.60 / lb+$0.20$0.60 - $0.60
3/1/2024$0.40 / lb-$0.31$0.40 - $0.40
12/16/2023$0.71 / lb+$0.02$0.71 - $0.71
11/17/2023$0.69 / lb+$0.19$0.69 - $0.69
10/10/2023$0.50 / lb-$0.19$0.50 - $0.50
9/30/2023$0.69 / lb+$0.19$0.69 - $0.69
4/27/2023$0.50 / lb-$0.05$0.50 - $0.50
11/27/2022$0.55 / lb-$0.15$0.55 - $0.55
10/1/2022$0.70 / lb+$0.30$0.70 - $0.70
8/12/2022$0.40 / lb-$0.30$0.40 - $0.40
5/28/2022$0.70 / lb+$0.08$0.70 - $0.70
5/23/2022$0.62 / lb— no change$0.62 - $0.62
5/14/2022$0.62 / lb-$0.08$0.62 - $0.62
1/6/2022$0.70 / lb-$0.19$0.70 - $0.70
12/4/2021$0.89 / lb+$0.63$0.89 - $0.89
11/30/2021$0.26 / lb-$0.49$0.26 - $0.26
8/1/2021$0.75 / lb+$0.05$0.75 - $0.75
2/27/2021$0.70 / lb+$0.20$0.70 - $0.70
1/20/2021$0.50 / lb+$0.20$0.50 - $0.50
11/12/2020$0.30 / lb-$1.03$0.30 - $0.30

Maximizing Your Cut-Offs: Selling Radiator Ends

When you are breaking down cooling units, the core gets all the glory, but the Radiator Ends—the tanks or headers chopped off the sides of the core—hold serious value. These ends are typically made of thick cast aluminum or solid brass, making them a dense and highly recyclable material. Current data shows national buyers are paying between $0.60 and $1.35 per pound depending on how clean you prep them. If you are throwing these ends into your low-grade bins US, you are leaving money on the shop floor.

The Cost of Lazy Prep

Scrap yards hate contamination, and Radiator Ends are notorious for hiding it. If you leave heavy steel bolts, plastic drain plugs, or chunks of rubber hose attached to your aluminum or brass ends, the scale master will hammer your ticket. Worse, if you toss dirty ends into a pile that gets graded as Irony Aluminum Radiators, you are looking at a brutal downgrade. That simple sorting mistake can cost you roughly $0.41 per pound. Always strip the ends completely bare before driving to the yard.

Yard Pro Tip: The biggest trap with Radiator Ends is the transmission fluid cooler. Many heavy-duty or older automotive radiator ends have a small, steel concentric tube hidden inside the lower tank. Run a strong magnet over the outside of the aluminum or brass end. If it grabs, you have a steel cooler inside. You must smash the end open or cut it to remove that steel tube, otherwise the yard will buy the entire piece as irony aluminum or dirty brass, tanking your payout.

Prep Guide: Clean vs. Dirty Radiator Ends

Spending a few extra minutes with a sawzall or an impact wrench can drastically shift your payout tier. Here is how clean and dirty radiator ends are judged at the scale:

Preparation LevelConditionExpected Payout
Clean Radiator EndsNo steel, plastic, or rubber; hidden coolers removedPremium cast aluminum or yellow brass rate
Dirty / Irony EndsSteel bolts, plastic plugs, or internal steel coolers presentHeavy deductions or bought as irony material

Market Averages and Cooling Spreads

Because Radiator Ends are either aluminum or brass, their pricing heavily indexes off major markets like the COMEX. Scrap yards usually build in a margin, offering rates roughly 83.6% below spot prices to cover the melting process. To see how your ends stack up against the complete units, look at the broader market: Aluminum Copper Radiators (ACR) typically range from $1.85 to $2.70/lb, while complete Aluminum Radiators (Clean) are fetching $0.40 to $0.65/lb, and general Coolers & Condensers track around $0.38 to $0.67/lb.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly are Radiator Ends?

Radiator Ends are the thick tanks or headers located on the sides or top/bottom of a radiator core. Scrappers cut them off to separate the core (usually copper/brass or aluminum) from the ends, which are typically made of cast aluminum or yellow brass.

Why did my aluminum radiator ends get graded as dirty?

The most common reasons for a downgrade are leaving steel bolts attached, failing to remove plastic drain petcocks, or leaving the internal steel transmission cooler inside the bottom tank. Any non-aluminum material will trigger a dirty or irony price.

Are brass radiator ends worth more than aluminum?

Yes. Older or heavy-duty radiators often feature yellow brass tanks. Brass is significantly more valuable than cast aluminum. If you have brass radiator ends, make sure you store and sell them separately from your aluminum ends to ensure you get the higher brass payout, which frequently tracks above $0.87.