Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > General Discussions > Off-Topic Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-15-2020, 03:58 AM
cmac2012's Avatar
Renaissances Dude
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 33,890
Rodent proofing engine compartment

One of my best clients has an '08 S550. He lives in the semi boonies of Woodside, CA. A not small number of horses live not far away. Leads to rats - all the horse feed lying about.

He recently lost the main upper radiator hose to serious rat chewing. During the course of replacing that they discovered another hose nearby that had also been ruined. He says the cost was $600 each (!??!). Is that for real? From what I could see of the upper hose it had a hose clamp sort of setup that I had not seen. Looked like a special tool was needed.

We're trying to somehow ratproof the engine bay. Closing it in with that strong 1/4 inch square wire mesh prolly won't work. I found an exterminator online who swears that peppermint oil will keep them away. Also black pepper is touted. I've read the opinion that leaving the hood open while at home will make the engine bay less attractive to rats. Seems quite the drag to open the hood every time you come home.

Any great ideas?

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-15-2020, 08:09 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Greater Metropolitan Beaverdam VA
Posts: 2,877
Moth Balls. I used a good scattering to discourage rodents from playing under a winter boat cover.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-15-2020, 08:11 AM
t walgamuth's Avatar
dieselarchitect
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lafayette Indiana
Posts: 38,610
Cats seem to work.
__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-15-2020, 11:24 AM
INSIDIOUS's Avatar
Not suffering fools today
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Tartarus Dorsa Mountains
Posts: 30,324
Agree with cat. House one in the garage and your troubles will be few.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-15-2020, 11:56 AM
cmac2012's Avatar
Renaissances Dude
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 33,890
They have two cats.

I'm trying to find some sort of fexible steel mesh that can be used to wrap the hoses. Won't be easy. He says if it happens again he's selling the car. His other vehicles are an Escalade and a Tesla. No issues with hose chewing on the Escalade.
__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-15-2020, 12:00 PM
cmac2012's Avatar
Renaissances Dude
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 33,890
Quote:
Originally Posted by rocky raccoon View Post
Moth Balls. I used a good scattering to discourage rodents from playing under a winter boat cover.
Worth a try. I could come up with some way to secure them inside of some sort of metal screen so they stay put.
__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-15-2020, 12:17 PM
INSIDIOUS's Avatar
Not suffering fools today
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Tartarus Dorsa Mountains
Posts: 30,324
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmac2012 View Post
They have two cats.

I'm trying to find some sort of fexible steel mesh that can be used to wrap the hoses. Won't be easy. He says if it happens again he's selling the car. His other vehicles are an Escalade and a Tesla. No issues with hose chewing on the Escalade.
Out door cats? home based in the garage?
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-15-2020, 01:13 PM
cmac2012's Avatar
Renaissances Dude
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 33,890
Both are outdoor. One catches rats now and then. A homesteader woman once told me that cats are better mousers when they have kittens. Cats that are well fed don’t have the same primal urge to catch rats.
__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-15-2020, 01:25 PM
A Talent for Obfuscation
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: In the Deep State
Posts: 16,984
Honda makes a pepper-infused tape intended to be wrapped around wiring harnesses to deter gnawing efforts.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-15-2020, 01:39 PM
cmac2012's Avatar
Renaissances Dude
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 33,890
Good tip.
__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 02-15-2020, 05:43 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,941
Cats are taught to hunt by their mothers. If mama cat isn't a mouser, the kittens won't be either. I can't imagine a cat would be much use against a full grown rat. My dog once caught one and it was quite a fight.

For some reason, Mercedes are favorites of rodents. I once found a nest of mice in the heater box of my E320.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 02-15-2020, 10:36 PM
INSIDIOUS's Avatar
Not suffering fools today
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Tartarus Dorsa Mountains
Posts: 30,324
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mxfrank View Post
Cats are taught to hunt by their mothers. If mama cat isn't a mouser, the kittens won't be either. I can't imagine a cat would be much use against a full grown rat. My dog once caught one and it was quite a fight.

For some reason, Mercedes are favorites of rodents. I once found a nest of mice in the heater box of my E320.
I am certain it is instinctive. I acquired a tiny lil kitty rescue and he turned out to be a brute to all other creatures. never met his own mother. born hunter. I would drag a deer in and he'd jump up on it all claws legs spread and declare "MINE!!"
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 02-15-2020, 10:39 PM
INSIDIOUS's Avatar
Not suffering fools today
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Tartarus Dorsa Mountains
Posts: 30,324
Quote:
Originally Posted by P.C. View Post
Honda makes a pepper-infused tape intended to be wrapped around wiring harnesses to deter gnawing efforts.
I was thinking hot habenero extract on the hoses, but wondered about the temps. I grow habs too hot to cook with. no critter would eat that ... but the heat .... I dunno
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 02-15-2020, 10:43 PM
Dubyagee's Avatar
All fields are required
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SE
Posts: 8,721
Five gallon bucket. A third full of water. Sunflower seeds floating on top. Placed near the front of the car. Make a small ramp for access the has been wiped with peanut butter at the top edge. Just wiped. Empty of rodents every day.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 02-15-2020, 11:17 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,941
Quote:
Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS View Post
I am certain it is instinctive. I acquired a tiny lil kitty rescue and he turned out to be a brute to all other creatures. never met his own mother. born hunter. I would drag a deer in and he'd jump up on it all claws legs spread and declare "MINE!!"

Nope. Separated at birth, a cat rarely becomes an effective hunter. It will almost certainly be aggressive, but that's different from hunting. A cat learns to hunt when its mother brings home half-dead prey and allows the kittens to play with it (they are really cruel, you'd probably want to stop it if you ever saw it.) The behavior is learned in the first couple of months of life. Your cat may have thought you were doing that with the deer, but I bet it never figured out how to draw a bow.



If you have a good mouser, he/she will try to teach you to hunt by dropping live mice at your feet every now and then, just as its mother did. If your story was that the cat caught a deer and deposited it half-dead at your feet, then I'd say instinctive.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page