Rat damage

GHall

New member
We have an 08 (Dodge) sprinter based RV (RoadTrek SS Agile). Being an RV, it is parked more than driven, and is parked outside at home. I try to get it out for a 15 mile run including some freeway on a less than monthly basis, but don't alway remember. So this spring I hopped in and fired it up for an exercise run, it balked but eventually started. Many warning lights. Diesel running on the ground.

Investigation reveals chewing damage as shown in the attached images, along with acorns stored above the fuel tank and under the air cleaner element. Most of the chewed wires were snipped off from larger cables and were probably in the way. One rat was eventually trapped allowing identification; the image is graphic. The animal is an Eastern Woodrat, or packrat. These communal rodents are native to the Southeastern US, build nests, and select an area to use as a latrine. Which turned out to be on top of the engine.

The repair was straightforward, the problem was finding all (I hope) of the damage. After repairing the fuel return hose the vehicle could be driven, but the transmission was in 'limp home' mode (second gear) and 35mph was about as fast as it would go. The nearest Sprinter friendly dealer was MB in Augusta (Ga) who read out the trouble codes (for free!) from the controller and confirmed that they looked like real wiring damage and not electronic spooks. Armed with the print-outs and a shop manual CD from the internet the tracing of the damaged wiring was time consuming but not difficult. I did all the work. Wires were spliced back together and covered with shrink tubing and then friction tape. Instead of repairing the cable over the fuel tank a bypass cable was made up and spliced in at each end after cutting out the damage. The packaged splices were used for cable bypass and AC line, they were found in the local big box (Lowes or Depot) and worked well with a hot air gun.

The hardest damage to access was the cable over the fuel tank. Not having access to a lift, two ramps were built to allow raising one end or side of the vehicle by 6 inches. The tank was held in place with a large block and jack while the 6 1" bolts were replaced with 2.5" bolts allowing the tank to be lowered enough to reach the cable (the filler hose needed to be disconnected).

damage/sensor: location: notes
washer fluid hose: engine right: replaced with similar from Advance.
air temp sensor: front license plate: remove grill & bumper cover to access cable.
fuel return: engine: near 'tee', enough hose to clip end off and move up.
intake pressure sensor: engine/intake: detects plugged filter, was in 'latrine' area.
temperature sensor(?): wire near above pressure sensor: also latrine area.
AC control: wire at compressor: this one didn't show up on the scan. Remove headlight and washer tank to access.
main cable: above fuel tank: rear brake wear, rear wheel rotation, rear tire pressure transponder, trailer lights connection. No rotation sensors means limp home/no ABS.
 

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flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
Some dryer sheets or mothballs under the hood should keep them away, I know it works good for mice. Those disgusting little critters did a number on you van. :censored:
 

icarus

Well-known member
That is about as bad as I have seen.

I routinely park in the bush, and we have a real problem with mice. Oer the years, the cure is prevention. We put de-con everywhere, in the vehicle, in the cabinets, in the cabin air folders boxes, in the engine compartment etc.

I am not a great fan of doing so, but it saves tons of damage.

Contact your insurance company, your comprehensive should cover the damage. I know of one Subaru ownr WH had two complet wiring harnesses installed, covered by insurance.

Icarus
 

GHall

New member
We are keeping traps and poison in the engine compartment while the new garage project moves along. That cavity above the tank where the access plate is located needs a foam plug or similar.
 

jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
Once upon a time, I was working in the SF Bay area. My hotel room window overlooked a park. There were kids on one side of the park and men wearing space suits on the other side of the park.

I turned on the local news and discovered health officials suspected Hantavirus in the area.

I was surprised they didn't evac the area more completely.

This posting is not off topic. I saw the rat droppings, in the engine compartment.

People need to be careful when dealing with a potential source of hantavirus. A shop vac is a great way to make the virus (albeit temporarily) airborne.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002358/

-Jon
 

GHall

New member
Thanks for the info. The major cleanup occurred months ago, and speaking of shop vacuums here is another image.
 

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flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
We are keeping traps and poison in the engine compartment while the new garage project moves along. That cavity above the tank where the access plate is located needs a foam plug or similar.
Forget about the traps and poison under the hood, something stinky like moth balls or dryer sheets will keep them away, the food in the traps and bait will lure them under your hood. Then they will poop all that green poop on your engine. Put the traps under the van at most.

I have used the poison, they eat it, crawl into an inaccessible crevice and die, before they die they poop green turds out on your engine.

Traps is my favorite way to catch them, the die instantly.

I have been mouse free in my shops, and under the hoods, thanks to stinky dryer sheets, I also bought liquid fabric softener and mixed it with water, put it in a spray bottle and spray it on the card board boxes in my shop where the mice like to nest.
 

icarus

Well-known member
FLman,

Not to be Argumentative, but in my experience, the moth ball/fabric softener trick is urban myth. It may have some efficacy for the occasional mouse, but it has absolutely no effect in my experience. I have tried moth balls, bounce sheets, etc and it hasn't even slow them down.

While I don't like poisoning things willy nilly because of some experience killing owls that have eaten tainted mice, the are times when it is needed.

Icarus
 

220629

Well-known member
Wow. Pretty disgusting. I should show the wife. :smirk:
Huh???

"Wow. Pretty disgusting. I should show the wife (these pictures)."

or


"Wow. Pretty disgusting. I should show the wife... talk about disgusting."


Sorry. Couldn't resist. :hugs: :cheers:

Please don't let your wife see this reply. :bow::cry: I guess this is real degeneration. :hmmm:

vic
 

flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
FLman,

Not to be Argumentative, but in my experience, the moth ball/fabric softener trick is urban myth. It may have some efficacy for the occasional mouse, but it has absolutely no effect in my experience. I have tried moth balls, bounce sheets, etc and it hasn't even slow them down.

While I don't like poisoning things willy nilly because of some experience killing owls that have eaten tainted mice, the are times when it is needed.

Icarus
All I know is that I am mouse free, with a few snap traps with moldy peanut butter in them. How ever I would not place bait or traps under the hood, under the van OK. And they will eat the poison and poop it all over your engine. :tongue:
 

icarus

Well-known member
I'm glad you are mouse free. Where I park, we used to park the VW westy syncro, (and in fact many vehicles over the years.(in northern Ontario, Canada) we tried the fabric softener trick, the moth ball tricks, and after a matter of weeks we were over run with mice.

A number of boxes of D-Con, including the engine compartment as well as the cabin and we have been mouse free for years. It does make a diffence what time of year. Noticeably worse in the fall.

Icarus
 

flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
I'm glad you are mouse free. Where I park, we used to park the VW westy syncro, (and in fact many vehicles over the years.(in northern Ontario, Canada) we tried the fabric softener trick, the moth ball tricks, and after a matter of weeks we were over run with mice.

A number of boxes of D-Con, including the engine compartment as well as the cabin and we have been mouse free for years. It does make a diffence what time of year. Noticeably worse in the fall.

Icarus
Right, I usually put out some snap traps starting in August in my area at least.
 

maxextz

Rollin Rollin Rollin.....
little:censored: that's a fire hazard right there.

during the winter months i have a local cat that sleeps on my engine cover.
 

Dogwalker

New member
Get a cardboard box. Cut a rat sized hole in it. Put a bowl of antifreeze with two large spoonfuls of sugar in it. Rats will drink it and die pretty quickly.

The cardboard box provides a nice rat coffin and keep pets out of the antifreeze.

Those pics are unreal.
 

GHall

New member
We went to the poison reluctantly; the crafty rat was adept at cleaning the peanut butter off of the original traps I tried. I wouldn't have used poison if the rat was inside the van. What caught him was raisins tied to the hair trigger of a high power rat trap. I can't have traps in the open due to 'tree rats' (grey squirrels) in the yard. I did try a live trap that we use to thin out the squirrels, but the bait was robbed repeatedly. After catching the pictured rat, the damage and poison consumption stopped. Never saw any green droppings, but I'll never know the whole story. A critter tight garage should end the vulnerability.
 

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
Caution about D con: Be sure you place out of reach of your pets. It will kill them the same as it kills mice and rats. My black lab mutt ate a small box and after a day started falling over. I saw him with the empty box but I was too stupid to know what it could do. It cost $1000.00 to get an oil change (new blood). Now he is part wolfhound as well. He was worth it. He is now 12 and has been one of the best dogs I have ever owned. ( I know this has nothing to do with Spinters!)
 
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