Rodent Chewed Through Spark Plug Wires

[4Cyl]

Only the cylinder one wire survived. I ordered new spark plug wires along with braided stainless steel sleeve which I'm going to wrap around each one and then tie down with stainless steel cable ties.

I'll update when I've done this. Hopefully everything goes smoothly and the stainless steel sleeving proves rodent proof. Wish me luck!

 

[littleant]

4Cyl. Is your vehicle in garage or outside. Up where I Am at it looks to be a nasty winter for rodents. Been catching them since October in the garage.

 

[natas]

I hate rats/rodents. Constant battle where I am. Peppermint oil can work. They make this hot pepper tape that you wrap around everything, rats are supposed to hate the stuff--I dunno. The stainless steel should keep the little [censored] out too. Good luck!

 

[D1dad]

Those [censored] have been infesting my f250 all winter. I put a bowl of rat poison in there and it was gone the next day.

 

[Donald]

If there are mice or rats where you park they will find something else to chew in car.

If garage then set snap traps, look for openings. Mice can get through 1/4" so I have read. Rats need a slightly larger hole. Put bird food & pet food in metal container.

Look at car's fresh air intake for holes chewed larger.

Balsam bags. Dryer sheets. Moth balls. Peppermint oil.

I use Mouse blocker Pro in engine bay. (I have 3).

If in garage, get a $25 wireless camera and point at some bird food on the floor. This will tell you mouse or rat.

 

[natas]

Originally Posted by D1dad
Those [censored] have been infesting my f250 all winter. I put a bowl of rat poison in there and it was gone the next day.


Good!...I hope they all die! But make sure that if you have any pets (or any pets that are ratters), they don't try to eat any rats they find.

 

[D1dad]

I live in the country and the nearest neighbor is half mile away. My wife has a chihuahua mix of some sort but the dogs scared of the microwave and doesn't get 10ft away from her outside out of fear of an owl or eagle snatching it up.

 

[Dave9]

Google search, pet safe rat poison.

As others noted, just protecting the spark plug wires may not be enough, then they will just move on to chewing up any other exposed wires.

 

[D1dad]

Plus rat poison isn't what it used to be. My daughters coon dog lab mix at a brick of Dcon and just yacked for 12 hrs. They didn't realize what the dog had gotten into until days after.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by 4Cyl
Rodent Chewed Through Spark Plug Wires.


You didn't by chance use any of the wife's Almond-flavored Cooking Oil as Spark Plug Wire Sealer on those plug wires, did ya'?
Tell her to buy Pam Original Cooking Spray next time. Rodents don't like the taste of it.

 

[pschnahc]

Rat are the absolute worse.Try soaking some bread in concentrated antifreeze and putting it in the engine bay. Seems to work better and quicker than regular rat bait. Obviously put only in places that only rats can get to

 

[Spktyr]

Originally Posted by pschnahc
Rat are the absolute worse.Try soaking some bread in concentrated antifreeze and putting it in the engine bay. Seems to work better and quicker than regular rat bait. Obviously put only in places that only rats can get to


Modern antifreeze has bitterants that make animals not want to consume it, by Federal law.

 

[Olas]

sheets of fly-paper encircling the vehicle will catch anything before it can get to the vehicle

 

[Donald]

The OP needs to tell us if in a garage or in driveway.

 

[pschnahc]

Originally Posted by Spktyr
Originally Posted by pschnahc
Rat are the absolute worse.Try soaking some bread in concentrated antifreeze and putting it in the engine bay. Seems to work better and quicker than regular rat bait. Obviously put only in places that only rats can get to


Modern antifreeze has bitterants that make animals not want to consume it, by Federal law.


Interesting. Only a couple years back I did the antifreeze bait thing and ended up with a rat leaking drops of bloody urine on my intake manifold. Those drops of rat blood were powerful deterrents in themselves for at least 6 months

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by 4Cyl
Only the cylinder one wire survived. I ordered new spark plug wires along with braided stainless steel sleeve which I'm going to wrap around each one and then tie down with stainless steel cable ties.

I'll update when I've done this. Hopefully everything goes smoothly and the stainless steel sleeving proves rodent proof. Wish me luck!

I have seen them chew through tougher materials than braided stainless. I hope it works for you.

 

[Spktyr]

Rats may *still* consume it, just saying that it's a lot less likely than it was some years ago.

 

[R1jake]

Set a bucket trap where they run up a ramp to get food and fall in the bucket. Look it up on utube. It will catch 20/30 rats a night. Plus use poison and other traps as well.

 

[4Cyl]

Thank you for all the replies and suggestions.

My vehicle is outside.
Originally Posted by Lubener
I have seen them chew through tougher materials than braided stainless. I hope it works for you.
Apparently, the incisors on a rat are rated at 5.5 Mohs, which is tougher than steel, since its rated at 4-4.5 Mohs. At the very least, the braided stainless should resist the chewing long enough for me to exterminate the rat.

I'll certainly update you all if I manage to rat-trap the thing.

 

[circuitsmith]

After seeing rat droppings I sprinkled cayenne pepper around the engine compartment.
Got a bunch cheap at the dollar store.