Engine Dust Cover

Anyone think there's any GOOD reason to leave the dust cover on? (Pictured) I'm trying to eliminate a popular place for mouse nests. Also is it safe to assume the origin of the air filter box is under the plastic wheel well cover? I'm looking to wire mesh that, attached is the nest I found. Side note, truck is clean, never eat food in it, spray the engine compartment, firewall, wheel wells weekly with strong peppermint oil mixture, and the bastards still got in there

 

Damn.

 

Wow that’s crazy….right in the air box!

My buddy is in a rural area and had them mess up the fuel injection harness, not side if he had the dust cover on but that’s where they made a home.

 

20 years ago I never heard of fking rats getting into car engines.
Now it's like every car out there has a neon 'Free-Buffet' sign flashing in Rat-Language.

Seems to be a lot of 'not-so-good' products out there that claim to work but who really knows right?

So, let's do this thing, let's create some 'something' that will put this 'sh*t' to an end.... who knows a chemist not named Walter who can do this ...

 

In my opinion, that dust cover probably serves two purposes. Engine noise dampening and protection of the hood paint from long term engine heat.

I have been battling mice myself for years. Tried everything. Still use ultrasonic/visual rodent repellers under the hood (two of them, zip tied under the hood facing downward).

About once a month, I’ll drench the engines firewall insulation with the aerosol rodent repellent (Tomcat brand) because mice like to scrape that fabric and use it to build a nest under my intake, in the valley of my engine.

Get yourself a remote camera and explore the deep recesses under your intake. Way down in there. Bet you that you will find a rodent nest under there too.

Awareness is key here. Once you have signs of a rodent infestation, you have to address it and keep on it. I’ve spent my time on my belly over my engine’s compartment, with a remote camera, hooked piece of clothes hanger, and long reach needle nose pliers; to extract firewall material from under the intake.

A few times, I have driven my truck up on homemade blocks to elevate the front end, and then used a garden hose to also flush out the remnants of what I was extracting. From the front of the engine’s valley to the rear.

I still have to replace my chewed up anti-knock sensor. Hasn’t thrown a code yet but it is a matter of time. Have all gaskets on hand to do that.

Good luck sir.

 

I ditched a long time ago. Just a useless bit of plastic.

Also, give some mint oil a shot. Rodents hate it.

 

sum beeches

 

mine like to nest (once) under the intake manifold so that cover would not be relevant to this issue imo. atleast for me. I haven't had then in the intake yet...