Sponsored

Mouse turds on intake manifold

Trout1

Active Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2024
Threads
7
Messages
42
Reaction score
24
Location
California
First Name
Ron
Vehicle(s)
2020 Mustang GT
For the second time found some mouse turds on the intake manifold. Car is garage kept so leaving the engine cover off for awhile and maybe leave the hood up. Anyone else ever have this issue?
Sponsored

 

robvas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2023
Threads
15
Messages
3,506
Reaction score
3,293
Location
MI
Vehicle(s)
2011 GT
Mouse traps before they get in the wiring

you might find a nest next time you are wrenching on the car
 

NightmareMoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Threads
62
Messages
7,077
Reaction score
6,343
Location
Austin
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT PP w/ Voodoo
Vehicle Showcase
1
Yes/no. I've had mice in the garage and draw a hard line on those little critters taking any interest in my car.

Last time that happened to me, I set out some traps and caught the culprit.
 

Johnny maverick

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2023
Threads
5
Messages
523
Reaction score
1,068
Location
Nh
First Name
John
Vehicle(s)
22 maverick xlt fx4 4k lux 89 cougar xr7 5spd 84
I keep the hood open. They like to hide. Hate those wire chewing bastards.
 

Snakebyte

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Threads
6
Messages
1,079
Reaction score
1,251
Location
West Central Florida
First Name
Nathan
Vehicle(s)
2019 Mustang GT Convertible
Indeed capture them. Leaving the hood open helps in the engine compartment, but I've read enough accounts where they've found other dark hiding places to hide, chew, and have babies that love chewing on wires and interior parts as well.
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
Trout1

Trout1

Active Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2024
Threads
7
Messages
42
Reaction score
24
Location
California
First Name
Ron
Vehicle(s)
2020 Mustang GT
Indeed capture them. Leaving the hood open helps in the engine compartment, but I've read enough accounts where they've found other dark hiding places to hide, chew, and have babies that love chewing on wires and interior parts as well.
Damn, need to get some traps for sure,
Hope I catch um before any damage is done. Was hoping someone had a magic trick to get rid of them. Thanks everyone
 

sk47

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Threads
32
Messages
6,820
Reaction score
3,162
Location
North Eastern TN
First Name
Jeff
Vehicle(s)
Chevy Silverado & Nissan Sentra SE
Hello; A year and a half ago some sort of rodent chewed wires and the vehicle was out of service for three months. So do something.
An open hood with a light shining is not a bad idea.
I got some essential oil (peppermint) at a Wal-Mart. put some in a spray bottle with water. I spray around the tires and engine compartment.
I hang a few moth balls in a mesh bag in the engine compartment. Vehicle is outside. Had to move the mesh bag to the other side of the engine compartment as I could smell it with a vent on. Not good to breathe a lot of the stuff.
Purt some iris Irish spring soap under the hood.
Made a solution of cayenne pepper with powdered pepper. Spray on tires and sometimes sprinkle powder on ground.

Do not know if any of the above are effective but find such suggestions when searching.

In a garage you might have a chance to control the rodents. I set out spring traps in the fall and was catching several mice. Not caught any the last three years since a blacksnake was in my house over winter. Saw him on the outside wall one fall and then he was on the garage floor the next spring. Do not know if he continues to get in or if his smell lingers. I have seen it or another blacksnake climbing the outside wall on two different falls. Point is leave blacksnakes and other non-venomous snakes alone. A near neighbor kills snakes and has had serious mice infestations.

I use peanut butter in my spring traps.

I do not have pets nor kids so put out poison baits. I have the boxes which have metal pin inside on which to place baits with a hole in it. The rodents have to negotiate a 180-degree tunnel thru a small opening too small for dogs or cats anyway. The idea is if the baits are lose, then the rats/mice will take it back to a nest and feed some to the young before they will eat it. If the young die they will not feed. On a pin they have to eat the bait if they want to get food.

Put some sticky traps on the engine and check them for mice. Best get some soon as there is a move to ban these traps.

Check dark places under the hood. Open up the air filter box.

Drive the car more often and park in a different place sometimes if you can.

Honda makes a capsaicin loaded tape to deter rodents.

Good luck.
 

sk47

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Threads
32
Messages
6,820
Reaction score
3,162
Location
North Eastern TN
First Name
Jeff
Vehicle(s)
Chevy Silverado & Nissan Sentra SE
Not caught any the last three years since a blacksnake was in my house over winter. Saw him on the outside wall one fall and then he was on the garage floor the next spring.
DSCN8831.JPG
DSCN8963 (1).webp


Hello; Pictures for two different years in the fall.
 

daSNAK3

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2022
Threads
28
Messages
1,317
Reaction score
1,870
Location
Cary, IL
First Name
Jake
Vehicle(s)
2021 GT
Vehicle Showcase
1
First year I stored my car with mothballs in the front and rear floor, I had issues with critters tearing open my “cornhole bags” and bringing all the corn into my car and hiding it under my rear seat and I also found turds on my intake manifold.

So the next year I used more mothballs around the car and bounce dryer sheets all around the car, inside the car and under the hood. Did not have any issues that year.
 

sk47

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Threads
32
Messages
6,820
Reaction score
3,162
Location
North Eastern TN
First Name
Jeff
Vehicle(s)
Chevy Silverado & Nissan Sentra SE
First year I stored my car with mothballs in the front and rear floor, I had issues with critters tearing open my “cornhole bags” and bringing all the corn into my car and hiding it under my rear seat and I also found turds on my intake manifold.

So the next year I used more mothballs around the car and bounce dryer sheets all around the car, inside the car and under the hood. Did not have any issues that year.
Hello; Dryer sheets ?? Thanks for that. Brings up another thing. I worked on a guys car decades ago. He had rodent problems. he was sloppy with the dog food. Left open bags of dog food in the garage with his cars. Point being remove such food sources or put them in secure bins.
 

Sponsored

sk47

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Threads
32
Messages
6,820
Reaction score
3,162
Location
North Eastern TN
First Name
Jeff
Vehicle(s)
Chevy Silverado & Nissan Sentra SE
DSCN8831.JPG
DSCN8963 (1).webp


Hello; Pictures for two different years in the fall.
Hello; I think the snake is going for the hole in the soffit near where the electric power head pipe come down thru the roof. That gets him into the attic. Not clear how if or if he can get into the basement garage. I am just guessing on that. Just know a black snake was in the basement garage next spring and did not catch any mice. I have a 20-acre cow pasture next door so the mice come in when it starts getting cold.

It is fascinating to watch a snake climb a vertical brick wall. Squeezes parts of it's belly into the mortar gaps which holds it in place then moves another part a bit. I did not know a snake could do that until I saw it myself.
 

ORRadtech

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2019
Threads
25
Messages
4,055
Reaction score
3,990
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
First Name
Dave
Vehicle(s)
18 Mustang EcoBoost convertible, 14 Ford Fusion SE
A cat is the "secret" weapon. Get a garage/outdoor cat.
Oddly, I've parked vehicles outdoors for the last 20+ years with the house and driveway 50' from surrounding woods. So far, knock wood, have not had a mouse or rat problem. Opossums, raccoons, armadillos, snakes, coyotes (the furry kind), squirrels and chipmonks yes, but no mice...
 

sk47

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2020
Threads
32
Messages
6,820
Reaction score
3,162
Location
North Eastern TN
First Name
Jeff
Vehicle(s)
Chevy Silverado & Nissan Sentra SE
A cat is the "secret" weapon. Get a garage/outdoor cat.
Oddly, I've parked vehicles outdoors for the last 20+ years with the house and driveway 50' from surrounding woods. So far, knock wood, have not had a mouse or rat problem. Opossums, raccoons, armadillos, snakes, coyotes (the furry kind), squirrels and chipmonks yes, but no mice...
Hello; I tried to get a cat. Lady had kittens to give away but reneged when she found out it was to live outside.
My problem was due to a squirrel. I have a stick built carport. A roof on 12 4x4 posts. I had birds building nests in the eaves/soffits so put wire in the openings. A new squirrel chewed thru aluminum screen wire and made a home. Had a horde of walnuts and lived in the soffits the previous winter. I think the mice were attracted to his scraps. Then after a warm speel next spring had a cold spell. Parked truck had a warm engine so they moved into the fuse box.

I took the soffits off the eaves and evicted the squirel. found a bunch of walnut hulls and nesting material.
DSCN9095.webp
DSCN9097.JPG
 

Sig556

White18
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Threads
30
Messages
947
Reaction score
676
Location
North Carolina
First Name
Ed
Vehicle(s)
2024 GT Premium / Iconic Silver 10 Speed Auto
I live in N/C , I used to have the occasional rodent in my garage. But ever since I caught a small alligator and set him up in the garage NADA.
 
 








Top