I've had issues in the past where it looked like a critter had paid my truck a visit whether it be to warm up on a cold night or get out of the rain (yes, both of those do happen in Southern California).

Today I was working on the truck and noticed quite a bit of rodent droppings and food waste (shells, seeds, husks, or something like that). I live in the suburbs in the foothills so I do have my share of wildlife out here and they pay the neighborhoods regular visits (they know where the food is).

I'm not sure how long it has been going on since it has been a few months since I was under the hood to do work and really notice the engine bay. Whoever my visitors are seem to transit along the passenger valve cover and camp out in the valley on top of the engine. They seem to like hanging out on top of my fuel bowl as well.

I park in a few different places around my house so I will be making sure I don't spend 2 nights in the same one in case they are looking for my truck to show up. Besides location has anybody had any critters-living-under-your-hood issues and have you applied any effective deterrent to prevent it that doesn't include damaging the truck or poisoning anyone that rides in it?

Thanks.

 

maybe put mousetraps under the hood. even if it's bigger than a mouse and doesn't kill it, they'll get the hint that it's not a safe place to stay.

 

Three things I use. Mothballs, mint or the rodent spray, similar to "deer off". I know others that use one or all of these to keep the rodents out of the rv. I switch from one to the other as I have read that if you use only one, the rodents get used to it. It seems like once they leave only a little keeps them away. Not totally full proof, but does help a lot.

 

I've used this style bucket trap with tons of success. I smear peanut butter on the can and it rolls when they get on it sending them into the bucket. Just have them where you park your truck.

 

Years back, I had a '95 F150, 5.0L. I was laid up for a few weeks one December and truck sat outside for about a month. When I started it, it barely ran on maybe 4 or 5 cylinders. Opened the hood and saw about half a bushel of grass, leaves and fluff packed on the top of the engine and in & around the intake manifold.


Cleaned it out and realized that my little rodent friends had also decided to gnaw on all of the fuel injector wires that had been running through their new home. A couple wires were chewed clean-through, and the rest had their insulation cleaned off in multiple spots. Ford wanted ~$600 for just the replacement harness. (I didn't even ask for a labor quote.) OUCH! I spliced the cut wires myself and then used 3M Liquid Electrical Tape to re-insulate all of the bare spots, and the truck ran fine.


To keep the Mouse Marauders at bay. I cut the feet off of a couple pairs of my wife's old pantyhose and filled them with "Moth Flakes" and hung them under the hood. They didn't come back, even though the truck sat again for an extended time. Additional benefit: it masked the smell of the Mouse Pee in engine compartment....

 

Keep your windows rolled up too. I restored my grandpa's 1969 Ltd for my dad a few years ago and had to redo the entire interior and put a convertible top on it because of a mouse. My grandpa had left the windows down and a mouse got in it. His dog decided to go after the mouse and chewed the padding out of every seat and clawed through the back window to get to it.

 

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll start small since I don't know how my neighbors and HOA would appreciate me setting buckets out (although I think they would in the end even though it would be unsightly during the process). I'll start with stuff that fits under my hood or truck to be a little more inconspicuous and go bigger if that doesn't help.

Luckily all they seem to have snacked on so far are the rubber connectors on my vacuum lines. Better that than any wiring harnesses.

 

I had the same problem with my '14 super duty: use the scented dryer sheets!
I think I had 4 or 5 of them spread throughout the engine compartment & never saw any signs of the critters again

Jeff

 

I personally don't have a lot of warm fuzzies about rodents, every early winter I place rat bait from the local feed store in secure locations on my truck and equipment where pets aren't likely to get to it and it generally is eaten without any damage to the inside of the truck or farm equipment placed in the engine compartment before they go inside.... If you wait too long you can have dead smelling rodent in the cab.

 

the bigger problem is when they wedge themselves in a very small inaccessible location and die. don't use poison if you're near water.


if you let rodents turn your vehicles into rat condo's you'll end up with electrical problems as they like chewing on wire insulation. you could also end up with a under hood fire if they decide to build a nest to have babies.


I use to be a mechanic for a local municipality and I've seen all kinds of rodent sign and carcasses. make sure you guys cover the access to your air filters and any small holes into the cab with the small chicken wire.


we would use graffiti remover spray on any location that showed sign of rodents. the stuff is super stinky and would work for about a month.


there's nothing grosser than finding a cooked dead rat under the hood or having rat babies fall on your feet while driving. I completely removed the dash on a 89 chevy 2500 chasing the smell of death to only find a puddle between the inside firewall and a blower box bracket. YUK!

 

When I was a kid I had one of those big hamsters and it chewed out box its cage. We couldn't find it and just assumed our cat ate it. Then we started smelling dead rodent. It had crawled in behind the kitchen cabinets, up the back of the stove and bit the power cord. Now my kids are asking for hamsters and that's not going to happen lol.

 

Build a cozy little rat house for them, and put food out. They'll never go near your truck again, lol. Sure, It might attract another thousand of them, but it's the "nice" thing to do, haha. I'm really j/k, but I wish there was friendly solution to everything.


My sister had a pet rat once, was really cool, gentle, and VERY smart.

 

Funny you mention that. I heard that on the radio this weekend too. Easy, cheap, and low maintenance. I picked some up and put them basically in each corner so I'll see how it goes.

Hopefully the dryer sheets will be a deterrent. They are cheap and easy to just leave them there so I don't have to do any elaborate pre-flight before I drive.


I had pet rats growing up and they were great. I'm pretty sure these guys are not any relation.

 

Yep, dryer sheets work wonders, use them in the Motorhome in all the outside compartments. Rodents love the insulation around wires and rubber. Don't ask how I know. I live in the desert so I get all. But...found out by leaving a light on under the hood, they stay away! I run an extension out with a clip light on night duty. Has worked now for 4 years - no more replacing hoses and wires.

 

The dryer sheets as rodent repellent is just BS. Just makes for fresh smelling nests. LOL