I need to drive it more...

Joined
Mar 3, 2011
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Location
The Willow Creek District AVA
Hello:

A few weeks ago I noticed what appeared to be some mouse activity under the hood of my E46 BMW. I looked around and didn't see any damage.

About this time every 2 or 3 years I do a full detail, including the engine compartment and the entire undercarriage. In order to clean some of the nooks and crannies, I remove the air box and the windshield washer reservoir. Look at what I found inside the air box! Glad I did this!! As you can see, the rodents started to eat the air filter itself, but thankfully not all the way through. I'm fortunate the engine didn't inhale anything!

I included some other pictures of my detailing progress so far. Car is a 2003 BMW E46 330Ci. 93K miles on it. I am the original owner and special ordered it from the factory because I didn't want a sunroof. The car has not once been driven in the rain or on a wet road, literally so. I have other cars for that.

The under trays are off so I could inspect and clean, plus the serpentine belts are off because I am replacing them.

Anyway, some pictures. FWIW.

Scott

IMG_3184 2.jpeg


IMG_3707.jpeg


IMG_3709.jpeg


Engine Top 1.jpeg


Engine Top 2.jpeg


Engine Top 3.jpeg


Front Center 1.jpeg


Engine Under 1.jpeg
 
This reminds me, I need to check my air filter. I have problems with squirrels. I already found a dead one on top of a heat shield near the exhaust plus the usual clues they have been encroaching in the engine bay.
 
Originally Posted by wings&wheels
Ugh.... Any weird electrical issues? Hopefully they didn't use anything important for nest building.

Thankfully not. I gave it a really, really thorough inspection. See my post here.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...do-a-full-detail-everything-2-or-3-years

The garage is now loaded with traps and mouse/rat poison. For nesting material, the mice used my felt wheel covers for my spare wheel set.

Scott
 
Doesn't lavender keep away critters ??


Also Props SLO_Town that "Beemer" is CLEANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
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Looks factory new !!


Dave
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by wings&wheels
Ugh.... Any weird electrical issues? Hopefully they didn't use anything important for nest building.

Thankfully not. I gave it a really, really thorough inspection. See my post here.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...do-a-full-detail-everything-2-or-3-years

The garage is now loaded with traps and mouse/rat poison. For nesting material, the mice used my felt wheel covers for my spare wheel set.

Scott


I was going to ask where the sound deadening insulation came from. So long as that material wasn't scavenged from the car, you should be fine. Good for you that you're doing an annual (or is that anal?
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) inspection of the car to stay on top of issues before they become issues!
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This is what I found in my wife's car after a terrible smell started flowing through the vents. They had made a nest in the cabin air filter and I think they dropped into the fan after I started removing their nesting material.

[Linked Image]
 
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Is that a rust spot on the bottom of the crank pulley? If so, I'd smooth that out or it will eat the belts eventually.
 
Originally Posted by Schmoe
Is that a rust spot on the bottom of the crank pulley? If so, I'd smooth that out or it will eat the belts eventually.

That's just from the wash down. It rubs off with your finger.

Scott
 
Looks like they got into your sound insulation. Thats the black fabric stuff in the pics.

That likely means that they also left feces and urine, which can transmit bad diseases, in it.

Glad you pulled the blower motor, thats a good place to check. Id definitely look into some duct disinfectant.

Id also be careful about where you put poison. You dont want a dead mouse in your car.

Id look around the car for entry points. It might be hard now that youve detailed it... But there's likely some spot where they generally go in/out, and is probably dirty or greasy. When you find spots like that, Id look into leaving a mothball there if possible.

Traps are good. Peanut butter works. Look for entry points and cracks in your garage, and close them up with steel wool and/or concrete.
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Looks like they got into your sound insulation. Thats the black fabric stuff in the pics.

The black fabric is from the felt covers that protect the wheels on my spare wheel set.

Scott
 
If you aren't gonna drive it hardly at all....


Send it here to southeast Va...


I will drive it a whole, whole lot
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Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Looks like they got into your sound insulation. Thats the black fabric stuff in the pics.

The black fabric is from the felt covers that protect the wheels on my spare wheel set.

Scott


That's a relief! Looks just like the kick panel insulation in my german cars...

Still find the occasional remnant dropping two years after clearing the football sized nest from my otherwise pristine 81 Mercedes.
 
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