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Old 05-30-2018, 10:19 AM   #1
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Pack Rats in Air Box

I have a 2006 6.0 PSD and while I was replacing the transmission cooler with a Tru-Cool unit I noticed that the air filter vacuum telltale was tripped. Pac rats had been partying inside the air box and leaving acorns, poo amd pee inside which had clogged the air filter.

Has anyone else had this problem? The air intake is behind the drivers side headlight and is wide open to small vermin. Has anyone seen a manufactured solution for this? I may fabricate a piece of 1/4" screen to keep them out.

Pack rats are a constant problem where I live and I have gone to great lengths to rat proof the van. The cut away area around the hot water heat exchanger where all of the plumbing enters the van was a particular problem and required a bunch of new sheet metal panels to keep the little buggers out of the interior.

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Old 05-30-2018, 10:46 AM   #2
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I had a nest under the hood that was set up on top of the battery. No other damage but I still have palm tree berries in the engine compartment that I can't reach with a vacuum. I have heard putting strobe lights under the hood will keep them out.

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Old 05-30-2018, 11:11 AM   #3
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I once had a mouse chomping on a power bar in the middle of the night that woke me up. I shined a light on him and he vanished into the dashboard. Half an hour later, he was back, only to vanish again as I attempted to catch him. I never did figure out how he got in though, but fortunately he gave up and no damage was done. Putting screen over the air box is about all I can think of to keep them out of there, or perhaps a rat trap? Some areas of the West coast have problems with Otters climbing into exhaust hoses on boats and chewing holes in them, resulting in the boat flooding and sinking. Even worse, most insurance doesn't cover it. You will see a lot of boats with screens over the exhaust. Good luck.....
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Old 05-30-2018, 12:28 PM   #4
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Rid-a-rat. Seems to work.
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Old 03-05-2021, 04:14 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmyoung View Post
Pac rats had been partying inside the air box......
Quote:
Originally Posted by rltilley View Post
I have heard putting strobe lights under the hood will keep them out.

Not if they like disco music .......
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Old 03-05-2021, 06:55 PM   #6
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Stayin' alive
Stayin' alive
Ah ha ha ha
Stayin' alive...
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Old 03-05-2021, 07:23 PM   #7
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Get a cat.
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Old 03-06-2021, 08:26 AM   #8
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Get a cat.
This is always overlooked getting an outside cat is the oldest and most effective remedy, if you can stand any side effects of having one around. It's just the food chain at work, which us savvy humans always try to outthink. An outdoor cat will be well fed and happy and your problems will be gone.

If you have never had the pleasure of seeing an outdoor cat at work it is amazing. It's like watching the Nature channel. Well, it is watching the nature channel. A good cat will sniff the air, disappear in to a thicket and come out with a mouse/rat in it's jaws as happy as ever. What they do next is pretty cool too if you can stand to watch.
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Old 03-06-2021, 09:20 AM   #9
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Or make sure your neighbors have an outside cat. My ring camera records the neighborhood outdoor cat, strolling thru my driveway at least twice a night. I am pretty sure I get free 24hr surveillance.

-greg
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Old 03-06-2021, 01:29 PM   #10
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Yep, cats work, and so do foxes and owls which we have.
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