Average Aluminum Radiators (Clean) Price

180-day market: price lists from 4 yards. As of 3/4/2026.
$0.48/ lb -$0.45 (10.8%)
GT = Gross Ton (2240 lbs)
Avg: $0.48
Lowest price $0.40
Highest price$0.52Who pays the most? ⟶
How to read a yard's offer
  • Low (up to $0.40): Floor price, typically for small loads.
  • Mid ($0.48): A fair deal for standard quantities.
  • High ($0.52+): 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 $0.36 to $0.62.
Mar '25Jun '25Sep '25Dec '25Today
Market response to LME pricing
Spread vs. exchange (180-day avg): ~52.1% (-$0.52/lb). Typical spread for this grade: 39%–54%
✓ Scrap yards are offering fair market rates
Market snapshot
Upward trend. Prices have been rising over the past month.
Pricing verified from 4 live board rates today.

Top Scrap Yards Buying Clean Aluminum Radiators in New Jersey

Don't just dump your radiators at the first scale you see. Buyers in New Jersey have different requirements and pricing structures, so use our list below to compare local rates against the national average of $0.49. Always call ahead to confirm their current grading rules and exact payouts for clean aluminum.

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

Sgt. Scrap

Listed as: Aluminum Rads Clean
610 Crescent Blvd, Gloucester City, NJ 08030 Get Directions
$0.52 / lb
Updated 17 days ago

Sgt. Scrap

Listed as: Aluminum Rads Clean
9105 Burrough Dover Ln, Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Get Directions
$0.52 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

NJ Scrap Metal and Recycling Center

Listed as: Aluminum Radiator Clean
831 County Rd 539 Get Directions
$0.40 / lb

Your competitors are already here. Is your yard missing from the list?

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

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How Do Clean Aluminum Radiators Stack Up?

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.

Pure Copper Radiators Based on 2 scrap yards
Avg price:$3.00 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics
Aluminum Copper Radiators (ACR) Based on 3 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.33 / lb
Trend (30d): +4.3%
Price analytics
Copper & Brass Radiators (Clean) Based on 4 scrap yards
Avg price:$2.09 / lb
Trend (90d): +3.0%
Price analytics
Irony Copper & Brass Radiators Estimated U.S. prices
Avg price:$1.69 / lb
Trend (30d): +25.9%
Price analytics
Irony Aluminum Copper Radiators (Dirty ACR) Based on 2 scrap yards
Avg price:$1.61 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics
Radiator Ends Based on 3 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.75 / lb
Trend (6m): +24.6%
Price analytics
Irony Aluminum Radiators Based on 2 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.71 / lb
Trend (6m): -24.2%
Price analytics
Coolers & Condensers Based on 1 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.12 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics

Historical Price Trends for Clean Aluminum Radiators

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.

Aluminum Radiators (Clean): Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (LME)

Avg scrap yard price

$0.48
Scrap metal dealers
Spread: -$0.52/lb
vs. exchange

World market price (LME)

$1.0024
✓ For 99.9% pure refined metal
💡 Why is the scrap yard price lower than the exchange? The LME price is the global benchmark for 99.99% pure refined metal traded in large institutional contracts. The gap between LME and what you pocket is the yard’s margin — it covers sorting, cleaning, transport to the mill, and protects them against sudden price drops.

Aluminum Radiators (Clean): Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History

Analyst take: This month’s average spread between scrap yard prices and the world market for Aluminum Radiators (Clean) is 52.1%. That’s in line with the typical range for this grade (49%–55%). 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)$1.097176$0.57-$0.52 (47.7%)
February 2026$1.2032$0.60-$0.61 (50.5%)
January 2026$1.051423$0.63-$0.42 (40%)
December 2025$0.982942$0.59-$0.39 (40.1%)
November 2025$0.930043$0.56-$0.37 (39.9%)
October 2025$0.887584$0.50-$0.39 (43.5%)
September 2025$0.86119$0.49-$0.37 (42.7%)
August 2025$0.866703$0.47-$0.39 (45.5%)
July 2025$0.837774$0.46-$0.38 (45.2%)
June 2025$0.802343$0.42-$0.38 (47.3%)
May 2025$0.807171$0.46-$0.35 (43.3%)
April 2025$0.744003$0.44-$0.31 (41.3%)
March 2025$0.878574$0.53-$0.35 (39.9%)
February 2025$0.893382$0.54-$0.36 (40.1%)
January 2025$0.812942$0.44-$0.37 (45.8%)
December 2024$0.805026$0.45-$0.35 (43.7%)
November 2024$0.80919$0.45-$0.35 (43.9%)
October 2024$0.84811$0.46-$0.39 (46.3%)
September 2024$0.84145$0.43-$0.42 (49.4%)
August 2024$0.838665$0.41-$0.43 (51.7%)
July 2024$0.905877$0.47-$0.43 (47.7%)
June 2024$0.957757$0.50-$0.45 (47.3%)
May 2024$0.995197$0.54-$0.45 (45.5%)
April 2024$0.9588$0.58-$0.38 (40%)
March 2024$0.916803$0.55-$0.37 (39.9%)
February 2024$0.908876$0.55-$0.36 (40%)
January 2024$0.981155$0.59-$0.39 (39.8%)
December 2023$0.992781$0.53-$0.46 (46.2%)
November 2023$0.936113$0.49-$0.45 (47.9%)
October 2023$0.91751$0.55-$0.37 (40.1%)
September 2023$0.946997$0.49-$0.45 (48%)
August 2023$0.930013$0.56-$0.37 (40.1%)
July 2023$0.934068$0.56-$0.37 (39.9%)
June 2023$0.944237$0.57-$0.38 (40.1%)
May 2023$0.9455$0.57-$0.38 (40.1%)
April 2023$0.971563$0.58-$0.39 (40.1%)
March 2023$1.031729$0.62-$0.41 (39.9%)
February 2023$1.081664$0.65-$0.43 (40.1%)
January 2023$1.063787$0.64-$0.42 (39.9%)
December 2022$1.03949$0.62-$0.42 (40%)
November 2022$1.026153$0.53-$0.49 (48%)
October 2022$0.962755$0.58-$0.39 (40.1%)
September 2022$0.9553$0.57-$0.38 (39.9%)
August 2022$1.002665$0.52-$0.48 (48.1%)
July 2022$0.932735$0.56-$0.37 (40%)
June 2022$1.03653$0.62-$0.41 (40%)
May 2022$1.104181$0.51-$0.60 (54%)
April 2022$1.12712$0.68-$0.45 (40%)
March 2022$1.070248$0.64-$0.43 (40.1%)
February 2022$1.12205$0.67-$0.45 (40%)
January 2022$1.156365$0.70-$0.46 (39.8%)
December 2021$1.092839$0.63-$0.46 (42.5%)
November 2021$1.072407$0.60-$0.47 (44.2%)
October 2021$1.051368$0.63-$0.42 (39.9%)
September 2021$1.110613$0.67-$0.45 (40.1%)
August 2021$1.181813$0.71-$0.47 (39.9%)
July 2021$1.106519$0.66-$0.44 (40%)
June 2021$1.065053$0.64-$0.43 (40.1%)
May 2021$1.079274$0.65-$0.43 (39.9%)
April 2021$1.063943$0.64-$0.42 (39.9%)
March 2021$1.038232$0.62-$0.41 (39.9%)
February 2021$0.997864$0.60-$0.40 (40%)
January 2021$0.978155$0.59-$0.39 (40%)
December 2020$0.912668$0.55-$0.36 (40%)
November 2020$0.788713$0.47-$0.31 (39.9%)
October 2020$0.748797$0.45-$0.30 (40%)
September 2020$0.74391$0.45-$0.30 (39.9%)
August 2020$0.681152$0.41-$0.27 (40%)
July 2020$0.682474$0.41-$0.27 (40.1%)
June 2020$0.707093$0.43-$0.28 (39.8%)
May 2020$0.667345$0.40-$0.27 (40.1%)
April 2020$0.655233$0.39-$0.26 (40.1%)
March 2020$0.63179$0.38-$0.25 (39.9%)
February 2020$0.865779$0.52-$0.34 (39.8%)
January 2020$0.878045$0.53-$0.35 (39.9%)
December 2019$0.919229$0.55-$0.37 (39.9%)
November 2019$0.903547$0.54-$0.36 (40.1%)
October 2019$0.820784$0.42-$0.40 (48.9%)
September 2019$0.807807$0.49-$0.32 (40%)
August 2019$0.738452$0.39-$0.35 (47%)
July 2019$0.808777$0.48-$0.32 (40.1%)
June 2019$0.780903$0.47-$0.31 (39.9%)
May 2019$0.820665$0.45-$0.37 (45.1%)
April 2019$0.942947$0.57-$0.38 (40%)
March 2019$0.911219$0.55-$0.36 (40%)
February 2019$0.934725$0.50-$0.43 (46.3%)
January 2019$0.875529$0.52-$0.35 (40.1%)
December 2018$0.842287$0.51-$0.34 (39.9%)
November 2018$0.97931$0.59-$0.39 (39.9%)
October 2018$1.115935$0.67-$0.45 (40%)
September 2018$1.203813$0.72-$0.48 (40%)
August 2018$1.192819$0.64-$0.55 (46.2%)
July 2018$1.199784$0.71-$0.49 (40.8%)
June 2018$1.261433$0.76-$0.51 (40%)
May 2018$1.294884$0.78-$0.52 (39.9%)
April 2018$1.215763$0.73-$0.49 (40%)
March 2018$1.178032$0.71-$0.47 (40.1%)
February 2018$1.196529$0.72-$0.48 (39.9%)
January 2018$1.240045$0.74-$0.50 (40%)
December 2017$1.152535$0.69-$0.46 (40%)
November 2017$1.124073$0.67-$0.45 (40%)
October 2017$1.080894$0.65-$0.43 (40%)
September 2017$1.024547$0.62-$0.41 (39.9%)
August 2017$1.01609$0.61-$0.41 (40%)
July 2017$1.05311$0.63-$0.42 (40%)
June 2017$1.012163$0.61-$0.40 (40%)
May 2017$1.030332$0.62-$0.41 (40%)
April 2017$1.047077$0.63-$0.42 (39.9%)
March 2017$1.074468$0.64-$0.43 (40%)
February 2017$1.078479$0.65-$0.43 (39.9%)
January 2017$1.065594$0.64-$0.43 (40%)
December 2016$1.028835$0.62-$0.41 (40.1%)
November 2016$0.97226$0.56-$0.41 (42.3%)

Aluminum Radiators (Clean) 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$0.52 / lb+$0.11$0.52 - $0.52
2/17/2026$0.41 / lb— no change$0.40 - $0.41
10/8/2025$0.41 / lb-$0.02$0.41 - $0.41
9/7/2025$0.43 / lb+$0.02$0.43 - $0.43
9/5/2025$0.41 / lb+$0.02$0.41 - $0.41
8/24/2025$0.39 / lb— no change$0.39 - $0.39
7/15/2025$0.39 / lb+$0.02$0.39 - $0.39
7/3/2025$0.37 / lb+$0.02$0.37 - $0.37
7/2/2025$0.35 / lb-$0.02$0.35 - $0.35
7/1/2025$0.37 / lb— no change$0.37 - $0.37
6/26/2025$0.37 / lb-$0.03$0.37 - $0.37
6/20/2025$0.40 / lb-$0.03$0.40 - $0.40
5/30/2025$0.43 / lb+$0.03$0.43 - $0.43
5/28/2025$0.40 / lb— no change$0.40 - $0.40
4/21/2025$0.40 / lb+$0.01$0.40 - $0.40
1/19/2025$0.39 / lb— no change$0.39 - $0.39
1/9/2025$0.39 / lb+$0.03$0.39 - $0.39
12/28/2024$0.36 / lb-$0.01$0.36 - $0.36
11/17/2024$0.37 / lb+$0.06$0.37 - $0.37
10/16/2024$0.31 / lb-$0.08$0.31 - $0.31
10/13/2024$0.39 / lb+$0.05$0.39 - $0.39
9/26/2024$0.34 / lb-$0.01$0.34 - $0.34
9/19/2024$0.35 / lb+$0.02$0.35 - $0.35
8/29/2024$0.33 / lb-$0.05$0.33 - $0.33
8/16/2024$0.38 / lb-$0.06$0.38 - $0.38
8/15/2024$0.44 / lb+$0.03$0.44 - $0.44
8/9/2024$0.41 / lb+$0.06$0.41 - $0.41
8/6/2024$0.35 / lb+$0.03$0.35 - $0.35
7/19/2024$0.32 / lb-$0.15$0.32 - $0.32
7/14/2024$0.47 / lb+$0.02$0.47 - $0.47
6/30/2024$0.45 / lb+$0.03$0.45 - $0.45
6/18/2024$0.42 / lb+$0.02$0.42 - $0.42
5/25/2024$0.40 / lb+$0.05$0.40 - $0.40
12/16/2023$0.35 / lb+$0.07$0.35 - $0.35
11/17/2023$0.28 / lb— no change$0.28 - $0.28
9/30/2023$0.28 / lb-$0.03$0.28 - $0.28
11/27/2022$0.31 / lb+$0.03$0.31 - $0.31
8/12/2022$0.28 / lb-$0.07$0.28 - $0.28
5/23/2022$0.35 / lb— no change$0.35 - $0.35
5/14/2022$0.35 / lb-$0.25$0.35 - $0.35
3/12/2022$0.60 / lb+$0.18$0.60 - $0.60
12/4/2021$0.42 / lb+$0.02$0.42 - $0.42
12/2/2021$0.40 / lb+$0.20$0.40 - $0.40
10/14/2019$0.20 / lb-$0.05$0.20 - $0.20
8/10/2019$0.25 / lb-$0.05$0.25 - $0.25
5/30/2019$0.30 / lb-$0.05$0.30 - $0.30
2/10/2019$0.35 / lb-$0.05$0.35 - $0.35
8/7/2018$0.40 / lb+$0.07$0.40 - $0.40

Squeezing Every Cent Out of Clean Aluminum Radiators

If you are pulling radiators out of scrapped cars or residential HVAC systems, clean aluminum radiators are a bread-and-butter item that can seriously pad your wallet. Nationwide, local scrap yards are paying anywhere from $0.40 to $0.65, depending on the regional market and the volume you are hauling. The operative word here is 'clean'. The moment a scale operator sees contamination, your payout tanks. Our data tracks the national average at $0.49, but the scrappers who consistently hit that top tier are the ones who know how to properly prep their material before ever backing up to the buyer's dock.

Contamination Traps That Kill Your Payout

Scrap yards do not want to do your work for you. If a buyer has to spend time stripping your radiator, you are taking the financial hit. A 'clean' aluminum radiator means 100% aluminum. No plastic side tanks, no steel mounting brackets, no rubber hoses, and absolutely no stray fluids. Handing over a radiator with the plastic tanks still attached drops it straight into the 'dirty aluminum' or 'irony' category, which is a massive, unnecessary price cut.

Yard Pro Tip: Grab your magnet and meticulously check the edges where the fan shroud mounts. Even one hidden steel screw, a tiny steel fitting, or a leftover piece of the plastic tank means the scale master drops your entire load to a 'dirty' price, potentially costing you $0.00 per pound instantly.

Prep and Sorting Guide for the Scale

Getting your aluminum radiators scale-ready in New Jersey requires a few basic tools and a bit of elbow grease. Do not let laziness cheat you out of your hard-earned cash. Here is the veteran breakdown on proper prep:

  • Cut the Plastic: Use a reciprocating saw to slice off the plastic ends completely. Do not try to pry them off; cutting straight down the aluminum core is faster and ensures no plastic is left behind in the crimps.
  • Drain the Fluids: Always drain the coolant completely. Yards will reject leaking loads or hit you with a fine for bringing environmental hazards onto their lot.
  • Check for Copper: Make absolutely sure you are not looking at Aluminum Copper Radiators (ACR), which have copper tubing running through the aluminum fins. Those are worth $1.85 to $2.70/lb.
  • Separate the Rest: Keep an eye out for Coolers & Condensers and Copper & Brass Radiators (Clean). Mixing these distinct grades into one gaylord box will confuse the scale and cost you money. Keep your metals separated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current average price for clean aluminum radiators?

Based on national data, expect an average of $0.49. Prices fluctuate based on the LME market, usually hovering about 52.1% below the spot price depending on yard overhead.

Why did my clean aluminum radiator get downgraded at the yard?

If you left a steel hose clamp, a mounting bracket, a petcock valve, or any piece of the plastic tank on the unit, the yard will buy it as dirty aluminum. Always run a strong magnet over the whole piece before loading your truck.

Are aluminum radiators worth more than ACRs?

Generally, no. Aluminum Copper Radiators (ACR) contain copper tubing, which commands a significantly higher price per pound than straight aluminum. Ensure you sort them into entirely separate bins to maximize your total payout.