how to keep rodents out of the engine compartment.

[stude]

RV Mod for Keeping Rodents Out of an Engine Compartment
this is a referral.
stude

[Byron Kinnaman]

I can see how that would work, or least I think it would work. I have a light source that I've used and it seems to. It's called a Luci Light
I have 3 of them that I rotate through when I'm in a location know for "pack rats" (Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for one)

I did have an incident a few years ago before I knew about Luci lights where a pack rat chewed through a vacuum line and disabled curse control. I've been to Organ Pipe Cactus NM several times since then and used my Luci lights No problems to report.

Thanks for the information

[Byron Kinnaman]

A word of caution. The instructions on the web page indicate to plug the LED string into the cab cigarette lighter socket. Some vehicles that port is not active unless the vehicle is running. Therefore it might be better to connect to some other power source.

[Bruce H]

Never see any rodents around my vehicles.

[trainman]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Never see any rodents around my vehicles.

Nice little trailer.

trainman

[jgilliam1955]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

I can see how that would work, or least I think it would work. I have a light source that I've used and it seems to. It's called a Luci Light
I have 3 of them that I rotate through when I'm in a location know for "pack rats" (Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for one)

I did have an incident a few years ago before I knew about Luci lights where a pack rat chewed through a vacuum line and disabled curse control. I've been to Organ Pipe Cactus NM several times since then and used my Luci lights No problems to report.

Thanks for the information

Where do you place the Luci lights

[David B.]

We purchased an LED strobe light that connects to the battery posts for the electrical source, it has a magnetic base. Just place it somewhere under the hood and forget about it. I purchased it on line, but ACE hardware also sells it in our area (Apache Junction AZ).
Dave & Paula

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by jgilliam1955

Where do you place the Luci lights

On top of the engine. Where ever I can make it fit. I don't inflate them.

[stevebaz]

I felt the pain this last summer while beach camping. Ground squirrels attacked my wiring in my 2016 Tacoma they chewed through one of my sensor wires and almost completely disabled my truck at the campground. I was lucky it was that one sensor any other one and I would have been stuck. It took out the higher efficiency functions and put the truck in limp mode. It also shut off some brake and traction control functions. I got the truck home and went off to repair the wiring. I was very lucky I was able to fix it. Dealer replacement harness and labor would have been over 2000 bucks.

Now I have to run with a hungry cat strapped under the truck. Its wearing out its feet trying to keep up.

[Ev in Oregon]

I had a problem a few years ago keeping a persistent mama mouse from building her nest inside the engine compartment of my Jeep, which is my tow vehicle. I removed the nest three times (no babies inside!), and she re-built it three times, in anticipation of the future blessed event, I'm sure.



So, I decided to try slathering the top of the engine with Vicks VapoRub. And, it absolutely worked! She gave up, and I haven't had an issue since, no matter my location. Oddly, I never detected an odor inside my Jeep, and none of my passengers did, either. I reapply it twice a year for "insurance."

[Jon in AZ]

Vicks.. now that's a new one!

Nesting is one issue. Apparently many newer vehicles have plant-based plastic insulation in the wiring harness, which rodents like to eat. It's become a huge problem. I noticed at Lost Dutchman State Park last winter (where pack rats are the problem), people laid out rope lights on the ground at night and left hoods open. The campground was lit up like a carnival.

So much for the "dark sky" experience!

I have sworn off new vehicles until they figure this one out. My 2011 Pilot was the last year before Honda switched to the new bio-plastics. I've had nesting field mice attack both our vehicles- they love the under-hood insulation in the CR-V, but at least they're not trying to eat my wires. Class-action lawsuits may eventually force a technical solution to edible wiring. Insurance companies will get involved too, because this kind of damage can result in some pretty large claims.

Meantime, light 'er up!

[Paul O.]

Edible wiring has been a problem for a while. I had to postpone one of our trips when some sensor wires on my Tacoma were chewed up by chipmunks. Toyota dealer repaired it, but it messed up our schedule. Next oil change was done during our trip and I brought up my experience and was told by their technician that Toyota used soy oil based plastic insulation on wires. Well, they must have thought they were good "green" boys, I guess.

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

Never see any rodents around my vehicles.

Do the cats ride along on their trailer as a double or triple tow?

[Bruce H]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

Do the cats ride along on their trailer as a double or triple tow?

I tried to teach them but it is hard to teach cats anything.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

Edible wiring has been a problem for a while. I had to postpone one of our trips when some sensor wires on my Tacoma were chewed up by chipmunks. Toyota dealer repaired it, but it messed up our schedule. Next oil change was done during our trip and I brought up my experience and was told by their technician that Toyota used soy oil based plastic insulation on wires. Well, they must have thought they were good "green" boys, I guess.

European car makers started to switch to soy based insulation in the 80s as the previous synthetic insulations manufacturing processes involved large quantities of highly toxic solvents and such, they were proactively getting ahead of the RoHS regulations.

Volvos made from 1982-1986 or 87, the insulation was nicknamed biodegradable as within about 10 years it started to fail in the heat of the engine compartment... they fixed the formula mid year 87. There's probably a lot of this stuff still on the road as the failures were usually not found til the harness was disturbed, and those old 4 cyl volvos were swedish bricks, if you changed fluids regularlly, they ran forever.

Mercedes had the same problem in the mid 90s, any mercedes from about 93 to about 98, the original engine wiring harnesses turned to dust and crud, the benz people like to call these 'eco-junk'. most of these mercedes still on the road got replacement harnesses as Mercedes was pretty proactive in supporting their cars (both my 93 and 94 have new harnesses that were dealer installed in the early 2000s).

I have heard VW, BMW, and Porsche went through similar problems, but I don't know the years as my VWs predated any such problems and I've never owned a BMW or Porsche product.

[Conchasjim]

I've had problems with pack rats chewing up the wires and making a mess in my boat. I've been putting mothballs inside the boat and under the hood. Seems to work! Dollar tree sells them.

[DonInChatt]

On my way to work one morning a suicidal squirrel jumped in front of my Honda Element and I heard "thump-thump". There goes another one, I thought. After pulling into my usual space in the parking garage I discovered the pest had not only survived but seemed to be mocking me and didn't want to budge. I called animal control and the officer tried all his tricks for about 30 minutes. The squirrel retreated into the enclosed panel above front right wheel well. For two days I tried all sorts of things to force it out. I left the hood up during that time and after 3 days the pest finally made an escape on its own. During my long war with squirrels I have always been defeated.

[Dustbunny]

I had some rodents eat my 2013 CR-V's windshield washer fluid line, dealer cost $400 to repair that section. I had no idea they used plant based wiring. So glad the forum made me aware this is not uncommon. Thanks, guys!