My solution. Been working for a while now. The weird wires coming from the battery are for a blinking led that's supposed to help keep critters away. Probably a waste of cash but I'll try anything to keep my engine bay from becoming a toilet.

 

^ other than the moroso AOS, it's refreshing to see a STOCK engine, and a CLEAN one at that. Those are almost extinct nowadays.

 

Thanks. I'm a freak about a clean engine.

 

And as you know, I'm a freak about clean paint

 

So I haven't checked my car in a few weeks. Today I open up the hood and of course I can smell and see what some sort of critter has left behind. It wasn't a lot but it was messy...then I see that it's eating the firewall padding. I'm at my wits end with this. Brand-new car and I have to have something eating at it. Of all the years that I've lived in this house, this has never been an issue.

How much is it to replace that padding and is it a do-it-yourself job? I'm wondering if I should ask a friend if I can park it at their house for a few weeks to see if this thing whatever it is goes away

 

Buy a big dog & chain it to your car.

 

That's a wonderful idea but I need some ideas that aren't so creative.

 

Did you put a perimeter of moth ***** around the car? You should probably get some peanut butter and a mouse trap if you currently have an active critter

 

This and glue traps. Glue traps will keep that bastard alive so you can burn it, drown it, dissect it, shoot it with BB guns or put a firecracker down its mouth and blow it apart. Best part is, you controll its faith for pissing and defecating on your car.
Yep, it was one of those days

 

Haven't put mothballs around the car yet. I'll get that done tomorrow. The dryer sheets worked for a bit but once they lost their power the **** thing chewed on them.

 

my question is, WHERE do you park??? outside all night/all season? Maybe that's the main solution, is get some garage space

If it's already in a garage or a shed type of space, maybe some "cleaning" is in order... just saying. In my 15 years of owning/parking cars in garages, I have zero issues with critters. That includes 15 years of winter storage.

 

Parked in driveway covered when not in use. I wish I had a garage. In a couple years we will be shopping for a new house and a garage will be number one on my list. I'd love to put it in storage but I just can't afford the cost. It's very frustrating!

Tomorrow I'm going to clean the engine again check for any further damage and mothball the **** thing until it stinks up the neighborhood. I have to consider if I'm just going to remove the firewall pad or replace. Might as will just leave it there until I figure out how to get rid of this evil little creature.

 

Mine's in a garage but some mice were chewing on the battery wrap. I put a bunch of dryer sheets around and some sticky traps. Haven't seen anymore activity fingers crossed! Just checked her today.

 

I cleaned the toilet...err...the engine again yesterday. I took the battery out to throw it on a tender and found that the case of the battery is cracked bad. Not sure how that happened but I'm glad I popped it out. I added a ton more dryer sheets and on top of the sheets I sprinkled moth crystals. Then I sprinkled the perimeter of the car with crystals. It's starting to look like I'm into some weird car ritual. You just walk into the driveway and the smell will knock you out.

Last night as I'm pulling into my driveway in my winter beater I see the *** end of a rat running away.

By the way, Ford wants $275 for the firewall insulation.

 

Im telling you a rat can do some serious damage to a car. You better put some traps out and if you have pets get some live traps.

 

Yeah. That's next. It's pissing me off to no end.

 

Fox urine- use it and be amazed.

 

That's on my list now if the spray I have coming doesn't work.

Last night no visitors. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

This thread is one of my subscriptions. I am thoroughly enjoying this read.

 

I wish this was smello-vision so I could send you the essence of what I have stuck in my nose every time I open my hood. Bet you'd stop eating that popcorn.