Rat problem in the engine bay

What's the best way to keep rats/mice out of your engine bay?

 

The only possible way they can be getting in there is by climbing the tires. Try putting rat traps around your wheels when you park overnight and see if that helps

 

Put these around your truck.

 

Yea got those, about 6 of them in the garage. Im more worried about the car we park out side. Found a huge nest in it today.

 

The love getting into the air filter box and make nests.

So watch the box

 

A neighbor put some Irish Spring soap under the hood, says it did the job. Someone else suggested mothballs. I have tried both, one in one vehicle and the other in another. Time will tell.

 

Put a snorkle on and then go swimming with the vehicle. Rat problem solved.

 

I just put moth balls in both our vehicles and on each corner of the garage door where it rests against the concrete. Time will tell if this works

 

I've been lucky so far and they only chewed the insulation under the engine cover of my Tacoma and the insulation around the spark plug wires of my wife's car.

 

Get a chihuahua.

 

Cats? Not entirely joking.

 

Wife is very allergic to cats

 

I'd just about as soon have the rats, Tom Servo, and I'm not entirely joking either.

 

I hate cats, and so does my avatar.

 

I've had big problems with pack rats and mice. One year it was $1000 spread over 3 vehicles, last year $500 on two.

Pack rats want to build nests in the engine bay but don't if you leave the hood open. If that isn't an option, a rat trap (the big ones) baited with peanut butter (smear on the underside of the trip pan) works pretty well. One year I caught 14.

For mice use the small traps and bait the same. By the way, mice can jump vertically about 2 feet. I also use the 1/4 inch sq galvanized hardware 'cloth' to block air passages - engine air intake before the filter and also the cabin air intake. Form a cone with the material and stuff it into the passages. It also helps to keep the vent selector to 'recirculate'.

I've used mothballs with some success - tie them in an old sock and place in two or three places in the engine bay. I was told that 'essential' peppermint oil ( the expensive stuff) will also keep the critters at bay.

By the way; I REALLY HATE RATS AND MICE.

Good luck and persevere.

 

Sweet thanks for the info. I am using the mothballs right now and havent seen any evidence as of yet.

 

An old trick that snowmobilers use while storing their sleds over the summer is dryer sheets. Some in the airbox and exhaust. I always do that and haven't had troubles yet.

 

I was just about to post that too. Dryer or softener sheets seem to do the trick. The fresh clean smell, they do not like apparently.

 

I like cats better that rats.

 

I see your wife is alegic to cats but any chance you can get some of farms cats that live 100% by themselves I'm the area? We have a couple on our property and never have rodents. Would be like the neighbor had cats not in your house