Keeping the DAMN mice out

[Quack_Addict]

I was having a minor electrical issue with my `06 so I took the truck to the dealer yesterday morning as the truck is just barely still under warranty. For those wondering, the cruise control wouldn't turn off when the switch was turned to off, requiring brake pedal application to disengate cruise.

Yesterday afternoon rolled around and the service writer called me and requested I drive to the dealership for a look inside the underhood the fuse block. Apparently a mouse decided to take up residence under the fuse block and the vermin chewed the insulation off some wires. Several wires have the insulation completely removed for about a 1" section and the conductors were touching (explains the cruise control issue). I told the technician and the service writer to stop all work and simply reassemble what's been taken apart thus far. I am NOT going to pay $85.50/hr for rewiring and repairs that I can do myself at home.

Anyhow, what are some ideas for keeping critters like mice out of my rig's engine compartment? I am going to buy stock in some moth balls - some of which I will place in the box under the fuse block - but are there any magic bullets for either repeling or outright killing the mice? I use traditional spring traps, glue traps and steel wool inside my garage for the occasional straggler that makes it in when I have the door open but these won't really work well in a vehicle that sees realistic use and weather.

My hands are tied when it comes to eliminating the problem: there is a rarely-mowed grassy field, which is not my property, about 25' from where the truck is parked most of the time. Kill a few and more come. Fighting mice is an annual event in my attic when the weather turns cold - I have NO clue how they get into the attic; no mice in the house itself or basement. Now they've discoverd my HD. Due to the layout of my property, I can't really park the vehicle elsewhere outside and the truck is too long to fit inside my garage.

Is there anything that can be applied to the firewall insulation that will keep them from chewing it up to build their nests?

Is there any other under-hood havens on our trucks (like under the fuse block) that seem to draw mice more than other areas, so I can mouse-proof?

HELP!

[Mark Rinker]

Have had the same issue with a a few of our trucks - which are all parked outside, in a grassy field...

Boaters swear by dryer sheets inside boats stored in the off-season...throw a few under the seats, under the fuse box, etc.

How about one of those ultra-sonic pest eliminators, for the outside? Maybe mount it under the eves of your garage, pointed towards the area the truck is parked in? Also no drinks, empty fast food bags left in the trucks. That really attracts them inside vehicles, they can get in the new Silverados cabs, easily.

[DmaxMaverick]

Leave the hood up, or propped up half way. It works.

Also, leave a cup of straight coolant laying around (where only the rodents can get to it). It won't stop them from getting in, but usually nails them before they start nesting and chewing. Better/faster than De-Con.

[Robyn]

Customer complaint------ Mouse under hood chewing up wiring!

Technician's report----- Cat installed

Parts------ 1 cat
1 box of bandaids (Cat not friendly)
:D:D:D

Those little buggers can cause more havoc in short order.
A friend found a RAT living in his air cleaner :eek: and it was not happy about being evicted.

Good luck

Robyn

[JohnC]

I have the same problem with my airplane. The root of the problem is it sits in one place for too long. Interestingly, when I was tied down outside I had no problems. Now that I am in a hangar (dirt floor) they're loving it.

Dryer sheets may work for whatever is under the sheet, but are useless as a repellant.


A friend found a RAT living in his air cleaner and it was not happy about being evicted.

[spongebob]

yes the "bounce" drier sheets work..i use them in my hangar as well..

[Mark Rinker]

Leave the hood up, or propped up half way. It works.

ISN'T THIS LIKE DRILLING HOLES IN YOUR BOAT, TO LET ALL THE BILGE WATER DRAIN OUT???



LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Mark Rinker]

The first mouse that I found was in my '94 K3500. It had been parked awhile, and I could smell him when I got in that day, but figured he had already left town ... wrong.

About halfway through the morning's deliveries, I look down and he's sitting on top of a McDonald's bag on the passenger floorboards...looking at me!

[Robyn]

We have had zero issues with mice around here since we got some cats around the barn and the house.

The barn cat is real good at keeping the rodentia population in check.
There is one inside cat at the house and he patrols things very well.

The outside cats live under the hood of the big truck as it is plugged in at night and "Big yellow motor" has a great, flat, cat sized spot on top to sleep.

Never any issues with the little creatures getting into the truck.

Nasty smell once they get in though. YUK!!! :eek:

Robyn

[JohnC]

yes the "bounce" drier sheets work..i use them in my hangar as well..


My experience differs. Found the dryer sheets surrounded by mouse turds. Granted, there were none on or under the sheets...

Cats and engine driven cooling fans don't get along well...

[Quack_Addict]

I have had mixed results with the dryer sheets as well - my wife hid a bunch in our 5th wheel a two years back and we didn't have any problems that winter. I laid some out last year and found some mouse scat in the spring.

As for the ultrasonic emitters, I have two of them in my 20x20 garage and the mice don't seem to mind too much as I still get the occasional one that attempts to take up residence but there do seem to be less mice in the garage since I installed the noise makers. That could be due, in part, to the new garage door seal I installed about the same time as the emitters though.

I am going to try leaving a few moth balls in the bottom of the underhood fuse block box when I reinstall the block. I think about a half dozen moth balls the corner of a sandwich baggie tied off with a twist tie should last a while. I'll probably also place a few of the moth ball baggies on top of the intake and other strategic spots where I can fit them. We'll see how it goes.

I have not had a chance to dive into the re-wiring on the truck yet. I'm waiting for it to stop snowing and preferably some temperatures that are at least close to freezing before I tear into it as I need to do the work outdoors at my house. I might try to get the truck into my friend's garage later this week - his garage is deep enough to fit the truck (crew cab, long bed).

I had a quick look under the hood when the technician had the fuse block pulled up - the mouse / mice didn't go too bananas on the wiring. I only saw about 6 or 8 wires chewed on based upon a cursory look and none of the wire bundles looked to be gnawed on. When I took the truck in all that was wrong was the cruise control wouldn't turn off when the stalk switch was deactivated; when I picked up the vehicle, the SES light was illuminated. I'm keeping my fingers crossed this was just due to the jostling of the fuse block moving wires around that had exposed conductor... not another issue. I have access to a Tech 2 to help diagnose if the light doesn't turn off after I complete the wiring repairs; if the issue is something entirely new and unrelated to the mouse issue, I still have about 100 miles and a couple months before it's out of warranty.

[Mark Rinker]

>>>

I am going to try leaving a few moth balls in the bottom of the underhood fuse block box when I reinstall the block. I think about a half dozen moth balls the corner of a sandwich baggie tied off with a twist tie should last a while. I'll probably also place a few of the moth ball baggies on top of the intake and other strategic spots where I can fit them. We'll see how it goes. <<<



Quack Addict...Make sure you remove the baggies of mothballs from your truck if you ever do an international border crossing...!!!

"...Ah HA! What do we have here???", said the Federale - racking a fresh cartridge into the breech of his M-16...
"Looks like another trafficker, we'll definately have to keep him overnight..." answers his DEA counterpart, Ben Dover. :eek:
"Sir...can you step out of the vee-hickle? And keep those hands where we can see them..." :D


We had a Barney Fife here in my hometown that tried to book some kids on possession, after finding what turned out to be POPCORN seeds in their vehicle's carpet...(He was later released from his duties...after a series of similar blunders.)

[Quack_Addict]

Quack Addict...Make sure you remove the baggies of mothballs from your truck if you ever do an international border crossing...!!!

"...Ah HA! What do we have here???", said the Federale - racking a fresh cartridge into the breech of his M-16...
"Looks like another trafficker, we'll definately have to keep him overnight..." answers his DEA counterpart, Ben Dover.
"Sir...can you step out of the vee-hickle? And keep those hands where we can see them..."


At least the Federale you mention is packing an M-16. The last time I was south of the border there were some Federales patrolling the outside of our hotel - apparently there was some Mex-rock band staying there (never heard of them before). The cop was holding a nickle-plated UZI. The reflection from that thing was more deadly than the 9mm bullets it was capable of spitting out.

Interestingly enough, I crossed the US/Canada border, coming back to the US, back in early 2002. Security was beefed up big time (Sept 11) as they still had National Guard troops with M-16's in the guard shacks with the border guards. It's kind of funny - the guard shacks are barely big enough to fit one person, let alone two people... one of them holding a long gun he's supposed to be able to put into action at a moment's notice if need be.

I had a large chest freezer in the bed of my truck. My aunt that lives in Toronto donated it to me as I needed a big freezer for my new house. I pulled up to the guard shack, expecting to spend half the day as they searched, and the Customs agent and National Guard troop were both laughing. It was my best border experience ever.

"What is that THING? {gesturing to the freezer that filled the entire bed of my Sonoma and stood higher than the cab}"
A chest freezer, sir.

"MAAM - I'm a female!"
Sorry maam, I was answering your partner with the gun that asked the question.

"I have a gun too!"
His is bigger.

"You don't have any dead bodies in that thing do you?"
No maam.

"Did you pay more than $50 for that thing {both the Customs agent and National Guard troop were shaking their heads 'no'}?"
No maam, my aunt gave it to me.

"Thank you, have a nice day."

The whole experience took less than 30 seconds. :)

[pimajim]

Keep trying different methods with mixed results.
HAD a great cat that kept them away, but best guess is coyotes got him, hang moth balls in womens short socks, works but only lasts about 2 weeks. Got drier sheets all over the place. Out here in the desert all the critters are HUNGRY, and eat what they are never supposed to eat.
Recently they moved into my heat pump, roll of galvanized steel to block their entrance..load noise maker in my camper seems to work..keep some bait to see if they made it in.
Decon, pack rats steal it and hide it all over the place. (also love to steal mouse traps)

[Quack_Addict]

Just a follow-up:

I repaired the wiring and installed a half dozen moth balls under the fuse block back in January. Yesterday, with my head stuffed into the LH inner fender installing my new rotors and pads, it's still somewhat easy to pick out the stench of the moth balls.

No mouse problems since - but I did stomp out 2 juveniles near the truck on Monday morning.