Are rodents chewing on your GM vehicle's wiring?

Mooseman

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Dec 4, 2011
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Ottawa, ON
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59840Surfer

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Apr 19, 2020
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Montana
I had a couple of shops in Hemet, CA for a while and that there WERE a lot of citrus farms in the area, there were rats all over the place and they chose to live in the top of the palm trees many times.

I had a few --- mark that: a FEW customers with rodents (read: really huge RATS) that merrily chewed up their wires.

Mostly it was Fords and Jeeps, but an occasional Cadillac of current vintage only (this was 1994-1997 or so) vehicles we chewed upon.

But, since that particular experience, I haven't seen it so much any more.


PROLOGUE: Although I'm retired - I still get a few "customers" who know I was a SoCal mechanic and they seem to eschew the local farmer's kids working at the dealerships and shop, so I get a lot of word-of-mouth work.

So - I work on a lot of vintage stuff --- and not just JD and Case tractors - but honest-to-real cars and trucks. But I think the occurrences of wire eating rodents has either stopped or all the rats moved to warmer climates.

PS - I live in Montana - and we get --- maybe ---- 4 weeks of summer. My guess is that all the rats are now in Phoenix or Riverside.


.
 
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Mooseman

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Dec 4, 2011
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Ottawa, ON
I dunno. I think it's getting a resurgence because cars aren't moving as much anymore due to more people working from home. Only experience I've had was a 90's snowmobile that sat outside that had its wiring chewed up. Only the wires, nothing else.
 
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mrrsm

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... and on the Problem Prevention side of the matter...

After doing a bit more research for the sake of convenience and utility, in lieu of using Cotton Swabs soaked in concentrated Mint Oil, Victor makes these Durable Packets filled with Crushed Corn Cobs soaked in Peppermint Oil. This makes for placing and retrieving them after the pleasant scent subsides a bit less messy:


The important thing here is being able to (1) Start and Run your vehicle(s) without having to chase down any Mysterious Chewed Wire-Connector Problems and... (2) Reducing Direct Human Exposure to Dangerous Diseases carried by these Vermin.

For the slight cost of around $8.00 on Amazon and the minor inconvenience of the packet placement and occasional replacement of these (5) Packets, this idea may have some serious merit if it works:


MINTOILPACKS1.jpgMINTOILPACKS2.jpg
 

mrrsm

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Just to make certain that the Folks and the Peeps living in the West South West or in an ANY other areas where the North American Deer Mouse Population has been BOOMING due to extensive, unseasonable cyclonic Pacific Storms wetting down the ordinarily dry desert like regions... Once the Winter and the Cooler Weather moves in... SO WILL THESE DIRTY LITTLE, HANTA VIRUS CARRIERS, TOO!
18re7zw4-front-shortedge-384-2400508675.jpeg286b802674f47e75162f8e11ad6c2b39e0e8960d-960x720-3015099642.jpegHOWHANTAINFECTSPEOPLE.jpg


Wes from "Watch Wes Work" shows what these confirmed catches of Deer Mice actually Look Like...and just how bad that can be for anybody who keeps their Garages and Lofts Toasty Warm in the Winter. Whatever You Do... DO NOT SWEEP AND CLEAN UP THOSE AREAS WITHOUT WEARING FULL FACE, EYE AND HAND PROTECTION.

The Hanta Virus is the very same version that causes BOTH flavors of these diseases that has a 40% Kill Rate on anyone infected if suffering from the HPS (Hanta Pulmonary Syndrome) Version by means of Dust Inhalation saturated with Mouse Urine and Feces and (Wait For It...) There is Absolutely NO TREATMENT for HPS!

Be Smart... Be Careful... Wear Protective Gear...

 
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