Doing an engine bay resto project on a car that was stored over winter in a "country" garage. Since engine was out I decided to do some pm as in spark plugs and valve cover gaskets.
Removed the spark plug adjacent to oil cooler and look at my surprise. Suspect a mouse condo development which could have easily rendered my engine toast. Hearing all kinds of similar stories so expect this is hardly news !
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Good save !!!!

Also vacum out the heater tubes/longs.

Good idea Mark as you know this smells really bad !

When I bought my car, the man had it parked outside, covered up, for a couple of years. . this is when i pulled the fan shroud off. . all that material is bit and pieces of the car cover the mouses used for their 'Rat Hotel'

Must be something about engine shrouds that those d*mned mice like- my '73 was stored in my pole barn over the winter a few years ago, with mouse traps, dryer softener sheets etc all over or around the car.
When I took the engine apart to rebuild I almost got sick removing all the remains of the mice (good anatomy lesson with the skeletons) and their "home" all over the cylinders and the cooler!
They also got behind the bulkhead cushion and had enjoyed some of the wiring going to the interior light, etc. Major PITA!!!

This engine was being used for food storage.

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What is a proven way to keep these critters out? Has anyone used "Mouse Blocker"? Electronic device powered by the car's battery. I saw one on a car at a cars and coffee this weekend, but I couldn't find the owner to ask about it.

...a whole bunch of mothballs? I've been workin' on ya for awhile...mice don't like v8's. Hmm?

T

Saw this Datsun at upullitandpay makes yours seem clean

I throw a few mothballs under the car every fall; they last a year easily and while I've had Rattonies in the garage, never had 'em in the car.

I do believe it works...

I can't say anything about the car version but I have house mouse electronic boxes in the attic and the garage that seems to be working as I've never had mice. Closest I come is the dead rat that the feral cat brings me once or twice a year.

Yeah that one picture reminds me there were also many hickory nuts in mine as well!

I've tried moth balls as well...

Here I have two different vermin. Common field mice and white breasted wood rat ( aka pack rat) The datsun in prior photo is likely wood rat as they are capable of moving "large" Items. Here, they.ve moved the dryer sheets and empty /snapped mouse traps into the shifter tunnel in my outdoor car before.

I live in a wooded area w. garage enclosed / attached to house and the mice are constant. Been here 25 yrs. and there's no sure thing I've found yet.

This last winter with the car I've been working on four years (in enclosed garage) almost ready to drive I watched it pretty close. One day to my horror a softball size wad showed up on the drivers floor mat. I when to war and killed 8 in 5 days.

What I'm doing, - Load mouse traps with a very short piece of clean / new cotton mop cord under trap trigger tang and rub peanut butter into it. Leave no excess - on cord only. excess is a free meal ,the cord gives em something to tug on. I also Open pinon nuts (their normal diet) and crush under the traps tang. Keep every food item out of the garage & trash can. I try to maintain a couple feet clear around outside doors. They wont bother greasy rags but new /clean ones are instant victims so I keep them all in a lidded tin 5 gal. dog food can. I also keep an open water bucket on the floor and a stick to the rim - so they can go for a swim when ever they want.

Cats work.

That's what the engine bay of #770 looked like when I pulled it out of the woods. I was too shocked to take a pic until day 2 of the cleanup.....

I had a nest that came with my parts car sorry have no pictures. I noted the smell when I bought it. The nest was in the bulkhead, gas tank, steering column section of the bulkhead and that area was rusted out from urine, the wiring was eaten beyond. After removing the gas tank wich also rusted from urine found an amazing amount of pork ribe bones, I'm guessing it was parked near a rib joint. Major shower after cleaning that out!

While doing the detailing to get my car ready for a concours last year (car washing contest) I found this guy. He was dead of course. Fortunately, nothing was chewed...

Holy rats batman....>Mine was minor stuffing although just smelled great


Reminded me took my Avalon to shop to have him fix windshield washer......When I came back to p/u car I said what is that nasty smell.

Rat got into w/ wash reservoir and was marinating ! Still trying to figure out that one