Dog Food in the engine!

Hey! I always wondered how the engine looks like in my Mercedes. I took off the engine cover today and I was shocked when I saw my engine! There was dog food near all the cylinders! The food was cooked and most of it was black. Do you think this food harmed the engine? Or did I just cook some dinner for my dog? I have no idea on how long this food has been here. I have had the dog for three years. How does the food even get under the cover? I drove the car and the steering was fine but turning the wheel was easy, it almost felt a little flimsy which I am not used too. For the last seven years the car has had a sturdy wheel and this is different. Do you think I knocked something out when I took off the cover? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

From a suddenly concerned Mercedes owner!
92 400E

[Benzmac]

Little rodents such as mice will carry the dog food to a dark place to eat. It did not hurt anything. No way you affected the steering by taking off the plastic cover.

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Benzmac:
1987 16V
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

I guess it was in my mind about the steering because its fine now. Thanks.

[MB STARS]

I have seen this many times. The mice also will eat your wires,coolant hose,plastic tank(washer tank or coolant tank).......if they don't have food to eat and very very hungry.


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MB STARS Master Guild Technician,12 years MB tech
5 years independent shop owner

[Robert W. Roe]

I've had mice build nests in the HVAC ducts of two of my cars, in my garage, that were parked with the windows open just a bit.

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Robert W. Roe
1984 300SD 165,745 miles

[Tobias MB]

The same happened to me back in 1985 when I acquired a 1970 280SL with only 11K miles on it from an elderly lady who had a fall and broke her hip. She couldn't drive but had hopes and kept the car in the garage for two years before deciding to sell. I trailered it home and when first starting it up, about
four cups of dog food came out the tailpipes.
Luckily of course it hadn't gone through the motor but was stored in the muffler...the home of the mice. I guess they got free transportation and haven't seen them since!

TobiasMB
300SE, 300CE. 190/5.0

[Carrameow]

Not angry, just amused. I posted a very important Piston ring question that was technical and got 0 replies. My rebuild is on hold until I figure it out. Somebody writes in about dog food and gets 7 replies!