Wiring, a treat to rodents

[D2Cat]

Insulation use to be oil based.

http://www.thedrive.com/news/20878/rodents-are-feasting-on-newer-cars-soy-based-wiring-insulation

 

[Fordtech86]

I work at a ford/Mazda dealer,our Mazda side is small and until just recently I was the only Mazda certified tech, it has been brought up many times in the training classes about the soy based insulation and rodents. The mice seem to like the Mazda harnesses way more then the ford ones. We do get fords here and there with rodent damage,but when they get ahold of a Mazda it is crazy.

 

[CapnDean]

Rats ate the wiring of my 1968 ford 3000 I seriously doubt it was soybean wiring. Rats will eat just about anything.

 

[ThisIsNotaStep]

Put some moth balls in and around electrical components.

 

[85Hokie]

Put some moth balls in and around electrical components.

Wish I knew that about 5 years ago......mice, squirrels ....whatever got into my boat that was 4 feet off the water in a lift and ate the plastic off almost everything to build their little nest in the battery compartment! Even chewed the plastic off the main linkage to engage the drive!

 

[Kabota]

I have a wood working / cabinetry shop (made my living there for some years). No business there now .... but anyway went in there a few years back in the winter and discovered mice droppings.... some were bright red and some were bright blue. Really looked crazy !!! Took me awhile to solve the mystery and then I remembered the tray that was attached to the top of a cut off saw.

.... the tray where we kept red and blue lumber marking crayons ... they were very wax based. Yummy

 

[SidecarFlip]

Never been an issue here. I keep both my tractors in the big, unheated Clear Span truss arch building along with all the hay tools and feeder bales and I've never had anything chewed or ever seen a mouse, rat or other vermin, because I have 4 barn cats living in there.

Sure I get cat tracks on the hoods but no rodents eating anything because the rodents get eaten by the cats.

Same in the other barn. Cats live there too. No issue.

Lesser of 2 evils in my humble opinion. Besides, cats purr, rats don't.

 

[Big Gee Tn]

Has anyone ever tried peppermint oil? I was told mice don't like it. I have sprayed some around in the garage to try. If nothing else it smells good ,lol.

 

[lugbolt]

Oh yeah. BIG problem in this area. Had one in my personal shop at home (neighbor). L4701. Guy says he's put 7 fan belts on it in 5.5 hours usage. I get it, put a belt on it, run it for hours on end at full throttle and it never gives issues. He gets it, makes it less than one hour, belt breaks. Well I finally got one of his old belts. Had gnaw marks all over it. Problem isolated. Guy hates cats (kills them). That is not my problem. But oddly they didn't touch the wiring.

There's all sorts of things that will help keep them away, but they "help"-but don't "solve" the problem-if you have that problem. Cats are the most efficient. Besides, they're also fun to watch them. Just don't feed 'em very much cause they'll get spoiled and quit mousing. I have a couple wild cats that hang around and I haven't seen a rodent within a mile radius aside from headless body that the cats sometime bring to me. For some reason they eat the head off and occasionally bring me the remainder. Maybe for praise or something but then I reach down to pet them, and they run off. As said, they're pretty wild. Yes I had them fixed. Catching them to do so was interesting.

Peppermint oil, dryer sheets, lemon juice, baited snap traps, couple kids with BB guns, I've done it all. But cats are the most effective.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Oh yeah. BIG problem in this area. Had one in my personal shop at home (neighbor). L4701. Guy says he's put 7 fan belts on it in 5.5 hours usage. I get it, put a belt on it, run it for hours on end at full throttle and it never gives issues. He gets it, makes it less than one hour, belt breaks. Well I finally got one of his old belts. Had gnaw marks all over it. Problem isolated. Guy hates cats (kills them). That is not my problem. But oddly they didn't touch the wiring.

There's all sorts of things that will help keep them away, but they "help"-but don't "solve" the problem-if you have that problem. Cats are the most efficient. Besides, they're also fun to watch them. Just don't feed 'em very much cause they'll get spoiled and quit mousing. I have a couple wild cats that hang around and I haven't seen a rodent within a mile radius aside from headless body that the cats sometime bring to me. For some reason they eat the head off and occasionally bring me the remainder. Maybe for praise or something but then I reach down to pet them, and they run off. As said, they're pretty wild. Yes I had them fixed. Catching them to do so was interesting.

Peppermint oil, dryer sheets, lemon juice, baited snap traps, couple kids with BB guns, I've done it all. But cats are the most effective.

Couple cats from the humane society will eliminate that problem.

 

[Fordtech86]

You know it’s going to be a good day when your first job is this lol

Far more damage then that but have to wait for insurance guy to touch anything.


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[D2Cat]

The owner didn't know what was wrong before he got it to you? Seems he could have pulled the hood up and called his agent....and saved you some time.

 

[Fordtech86]

The owner didn't know what was wrong before he got it to you? Seems he could have pulled the hood up and called his agent....and saved you some time.

Well in this particular case it’s an older lady’s car, brought in because check engine light is on and runs bad at times. But there are numerous vehicles that come in for things that owners could take care of by themselves, but I don’t get paid when people fix things at home

I think guys like us take for granted we got the ability to do our own repairs and maintenance whether it be tractors, vehicles, home repairs etc ...

And with all the warranties and extended warranties out there most people don’t even bother.

 

[D2Cat]

Tell the lady to get some peppermint spray and spray her engine area. I guess rodents don't like peppermint!!

 

[Lycomech96]

I left a box of tissues in my truck cab. Turned on the heater/defroster and it looked like a snow storm inside. I'm going to dremel tool a big door in the heater box just so I can clean the stink out.
I hate mieces to pieces! And there at least 7 cats outside.

 

[RCW]

I left a box of tissues in my truck cab. Turned on the heater/defroster and it looked like a snow storm inside. I'm going to dremel tool a big door in the heater box just so I can clean the stink out.

I hate mieces to pieces! And there at least 7 cats outside.

Oh my....I sometimes have one of those travel packs of tissues in my truck.
No more!


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[Fordtech86]

I left a box of tissues in my truck cab. Turned on the heater/defroster and it looked like a snow storm inside. I'm going to dremel tool a big door in the heater box just so I can clean the stink out.
I hate mieces to pieces! And there at least 7 cats outside.

Sounds like you hate your truck too! Cutting a hole in your hvac case is not a very good idea.

Being that the mice got in on that side of the heater core to blow out the vents then you might also want to figure out where they are getting inside the truck at.

 

[SidecarFlip]

You know it’s going to be a good day when your first job is this lol

Far more damage then that but have to wait for insurance guy to touch anything.


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Nice extra intake runner.......

 

[SidecarFlip]

I seem to have a few in my shop. No cats in there and a nice warm heated floor (it's at 70 degrees right now) so the mice are comfortable.... for now.

I gut 4 spring traps with the fake plastic cheese a while ago. Mice know fake cheese from the real McCoy obviously (no action) so last night I loaded all of them with Sklippy peanut butter.

I'l get them now.

 

[sawmill]

For about the last four years when I park my rigs in the shop I put a Bounce dryer sheet on top of each tire. Haven’t had a mouse problem since. Before that they would get up inside the insulation on the hood and pack all kinds of crap in there.