How to keep animals out of your engine compartment... - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Tim_Asphalt_FRS · 03-08-2014, 09:01 PM

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.

wheelhaus · 03-08-2014, 10:06 PM

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

skye67 · 03-09-2014, 08:15 PM

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

f0rge · 03-10-2014, 01:00 PM

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.

z3ro · 03-10-2014, 01:10 PM

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

fuck it, use the whole box.

sklimo · 03-10-2014, 02:06 PM

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

Gary in NJ · 03-10-2014, 02:22 PM

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.

z3ro · 03-10-2014, 02:34 PM

douse your engine compartment in radiator fluid

daiheadjai · 03-10-2014, 11:42 PM

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.

taylork057 · 03-11-2014, 12:08 AM

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

This was at a dealership!

Turbo95eg6 · 03-11-2014, 12:22 AM

That's nuts

goshem · 03-11-2014, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylork057

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

This was at a dealership!

ZDan · 03-11-2014, 08:50 AM

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

robwbright · 03-11-2014, 10:52 AM

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

03-08-2014, 09:01 PM	#1
Tim_Asphalt_FRS Is it fast? No. Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Manual-Asphalt Location: Vista, CA Posts: 604 Thanks: 824 Thanked 164 Times in 122 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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. __________________ 2013 (Rebadged) Toyota GT-86 {Perrin intake tube, aFe dry air filter, custom 2.5" exhaust, PLM overpipe, Kartboy crank pulley, Hotchkis springs, custom Flossy grip tape shorty, TRD shifter, Berk HFC, Whiteline Sway-bars} [Wanted: Delicious Stg 2 tune, Bilstein struts]

03-10-2014, 02:22 PM	#7
Gary in NJ Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: WR Blue BRZ, 240Z Location: Amongst the twisty roads Posts: 587 Thanks: 21 Thanked 412 Times in 206 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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. __________________ Phantom ESC, ECUtek Tune, Nameless Front Pipe & Axle Back, Enkei RS+M 17x8 et35, OEM+Ref

03-11-2014, 12:08 AM	#10
taylork057 Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: 2013 Location: USA Posts: 49 Thanks: 6 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I was looking at an S2000 with a friend and checked to see if it had an aftermarket filter.. This was at a dealership! Attached Images

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03-08-2014, 10:06 PM	#2
wheelhaus Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 2013 BRZ, 2020 KTM Super Duke 1290R Location: Denver Posts: 1,788 Thanks: 714 Thanked 1,141 Times in 624 Posts Mentioned: 49 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	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

03-09-2014, 08:15 PM	#3
skye67 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: 2013 black AT, OFT, 4.65 Location: Fresno, California Posts: 187 Thanks: 180 Thanked 69 Times in 49 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Prop the hood open if the car is not going to be driven for awhile. Critters don't like the light.

03-10-2014, 01:10 PM	#5
z3ro Banned Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Shelby, NC Posts: 626 Thanks: 209 Thanked 409 Times in 144 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	i say use 2x the recommended amount of rat poison. fuck it, use the whole box.

03-10-2014, 02:34 PM	#8
z3ro Banned Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Shelby, NC Posts: 626 Thanks: 209 Thanked 409 Times in 144 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	douse your engine compartment in radiator fluid

03-10-2014, 11:42 PM	#9
daiheadjai Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 2003 S2000, 2008 Fit Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 1,990 Thanks: 2,584 Thanked 1,154 Times in 688 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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.

03-11-2014, 12:22 AM	#11
Turbo95eg6 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Drives: 2014 BRZ SWP LTD Location: The 503 Posts: 2,174 Thanks: 331 Thanked 2,266 Times in 858 Posts Mentioned: 18 Post(s) Tagged: 3 Thread(s)	That's nuts

03-11-2014, 08:50 AM	#13
ZDan Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Drives: '23 BRZ Location: Providence, RI Posts: 4,672 Thanks: 1,439 Thanked 4,011 Times in 2,097 Posts Mentioned: 85 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Cotton balls soaked in pure peppermint oil (available at Whole Foods) should keep rodents away.

03-11-2014, 10:52 AM	#14
robwbright Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: '13 BRZ Limited WRB Phantom ESC 1.5 Location: Middleport, OH Posts: 720 Thanks: 277 Thanked 243 Times in 165 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'd rather know how to keep cats off my hood.

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