How to keep animals out of your engine compartment...
 

I just noticed my wife's Mazda3 has a pile of plants under the hood from some kind of critter hanging out in there at night. No wires chewed yet, but I want to stop it before it gets that far. I've read that mothballs or ammonia will keep animals away. I was thinking of just throwing some rat poison around the parking spot. Has anyone ever used any of these methods and do they work? Or any other suggestions? Thanks.

I'd avoid rat poison, seems a cruel way to kill an animal just trying to find a warm place to call home. There's got to be some easy way to deter them like the mothballs you mentioned.. It's a common problem, try googling to see what's out there.

edit-
just found this after a quick search. mimics predatory scents.
http://www.critter-repellent.com/?so...FQsSMwod40UAAw

Prop the hood open if the car is not going to be driven for awhile. Critters don't like the light.

Definitely don't use rat poison, especially because it's probably not rats. More likely it's a squirrel.

Last thing you want to do is poison someone's dog or cat.

i say use 2x the recommended amount of rat poison.

fuck it, use the whole box.

If I were you I would get fox piss from your local sports store that sells hunting equipment. Apply liberally

I've had mice eat through a wire harness and completely steal the firewall mat and repurpose it as a home on top of the V-8 engine in my Silverado.

Go buy a rubber snake and put it under your car when parked. Mice hate snakes.

douse your engine compartment in radiator fluid

Couldn't you put some cayenne pepper in there?
I've read that animals (particularly those with strong sense of smell) hate it.

Plus it'll give your drive to work that extra kick.

I was looking at an S2000 with a friend and checked to see if it had an aftermarket filter..

This was at a dealership!

That's nuts

:bellyroll:

Cotton balls soaked in pure peppermint oil (available at Whole Foods) should keep rodents away.

I'd rather know how to keep cats off my hood.

Put a dog on your hood.

Is that nuts? Looks like fruit from Palm trees.

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LOL. Was thinking more about taking one of my wife's several guns and resolving the cat issue that way... :lol:

She's a concealed carry pistol instructor and stay at home, homeschooling mom.

Probably just borrow one of her bb/pellet pistols and see if that doesn't scare them off.

Now, if you put Any kind of POISON into that Intake Housing....Would the Engine be POISONED ? :iono:

I've already had a squirrel in chew my main harness twice. Thank god for insurance cause it was like 3k each time.... I had thought about installing some chicken wire mesh near the opening around the front axles but I have a feeling it will be useless. I've also used cayenne since then and it hasn't happened since but it needs to be applied regularly..

As a cat owner, I believe it is fair to warn you that by harming a cat you are likely to bring upon the wrath of all cats. First it's BBs to get the cat off of your hood. Next, your family is turning up dead smelling of catnip.

I second (third?) the cayenne/chili idea. We've used it to deter cats, I imagine it works for many animals. You should use a lot, though. And apply often. :thumbsup:

Peppermint works

Rodent poison.

Sorry.

I grew up on a farm. Rodents (mice, rats or squirrels) make the most foul-smelling nests, and they will build it out of anything they can get their claws on. I'd be less concerned about a rodent's welfare than the wiring and insulation in my new $30k automobile.

Damn, the engine bay must smell really nice when the pepper gets roasty. Hehe.

Can someone provide a dyno for this interesting new filter?

Eucalyptus and peppermint are both deterrents for rodents and most home bugs, and they are natural. Renting a place once, I think the bed had dust mites, so I took some baking soda, added some eucalyptus essential oils, mixed it up and put it on the mattress with a sifter. Wait an hour and vacuum. This works well along perimeters and door ways too.

I'm sure like someone said... cottonballs may work, but it would have to be repeated as they will dry out.