mouse nest = power loss

[arcosine]

I was wondering why the saturn wasn't running well, it just didn't have any power. I thought of checking the air filter and it was really dirty, black with pieces of fabric on it. Then I looked in the air box and it was full of stuff, a mouse nest! Still managed 40 MPG. Seems to be running better now. I should drive it more often, or a screen over the inlet.

[SentraSE-R]

What you really have to watch for is mice chewing through wires when they take up residence in a car.

[roosterk0031]

Had some eat spark plug wires and windshield washer lines. Dang wife leaving granola bars in the garage. Just don't leave a car parked for more than a few weeks at a time IMO, just causes troubles, brakes, batteries, mice. Just keep driving them even if it cost a few extra $$ every other Friday taking it to work.

[Frank Lee]

Those rodents are the bane of car owners around here- lotsa them, and they do much damage. If you squint you can see the rodent screen I made for the intake snorkel on my F150. I've had to make such screens for just about everything I own.

[SentraSE-R]

I flew up to Reno in a Cessna 152-RG once on a work trip. My boss piloted the plane, & was always thorough about pre-flight checks. Four hours later, we did our pre-flight inspection for the return flight. My boss put his hand inside the cowling, and pulled out a brand-new bird nest. A bird had built that nest inside the cowling in less than four hours!

You don't have to park your car unattended for weeks to have pest problems. A few hours is long enough.

[cfg83]

arcosine -

At least the little fellow could have paid his/her way by running in a hamster wheel to recharge the battery. Is that too much to ask? Oh, wait, that's a Kia thing.

My wife used to have a BMW. We left the car sitting for a week in a "rural" part of LA. When we came back, the car was driving really badly. The rats had eaten into the wiring harness. $5K later the car still didn't run right.

I think Eco-rats attacked my S-Series. They chewed through my A/C wiring.

CarloSW2

[brucepick]

If the mice get sucked into the intake they might combust well enough.

You could do some math and come up with a miles-per-mouse figure.

[vacationtime247]

What's the name of that type of foam board under the hood of your F-150? Where can you get it?
VT247

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Those rodents are the bane of car owners around here- lotsa them, and they do much damage. If you squint you can see the rodent screen I made for the intake snorkel on my F150. I've had to make such screens for just about everything I own.

[arcosine]

That foam is combustible, but maybe not so bad with the foil covering. I use to cover my engine, until it touched the exhaust manifold...one honda on a full tank gone in a few minutes. I hate those meses to pieces. Maybe the neighbors cat can spray my car.

[moorecomp]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

I flew up to Reno in a Cessna 152-RG once on a work trip. My boss piloted the plane, & was always thorough about pre-flight checks. Four hours later, we did our pre-flight inspection for the return flight. My boss put his hand inside the cowling, and pulled out a brand-new bird nest. A bird had built that nest inside the cowling in less than four hours!

You don't have to park your car unattended for weeks to have pest problems. A few hours is long enough.

Just to be anal, Cessna never made a 152-RG (retractable gear). The 150/152 is a 2 seat, fixed gear trainer. Most likely a 172RG or 182RG. Sorry, it's the airplane mechanic coming out in me.