underhood nest

[RF Overlord]

Twice now I've found a nest on top of the HVAC evaporator housing. Mostly leaves, but looks too big to be mice...chipmunks, maybe? Anyone else had this issue and what did you do?

[WhatsUpDOHC]

I put dryer sheets under the hood/on the engine over the winter.

I'm told that they don't like the smell.

[fastblackmerc]

Shoot the damm things!

[whitey]

Ive heard Mint extract will deter them. Maybe soak some on a rag, or put some in a cup and leave it under the hood.

[J-MAN]

Get the large sticky boards for catching rodents and put a small dab of peanut butter in the middle, place near vehicle.

[tmwlch1]

Back home in NY had that trouble with my plow truck. We put moth balls under the hood that keeps 99% of critters out. Snakes etc.

[License2Bill]

Bounce dryer sheets. I haven't found any other brand that works.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Ive heard Mint extract will deter them. Maybe soak some on a rag, or put some in a cup and leave it under the hood.

So they can make Mojitos? :)

[J-MAN]

Back home in NY had that trouble with my plow truck. We put moth balls under the hood that keeps 99% of critters out. Snakes etc.

How many moths would you have to catch?

[Spectragod]

Back home in NY had that trouble with my plow truck. We put moth balls under the hood that keeps 99% of critters out. Snakes etc.

I never knew they neutered moths..... It does however sound like a squirrel, my wife had one living under the hood of her MKX, she caught it with her serpentine belt, that technique seems to work well, cleanup sucks though.....

[mnrauder]

all the guys in my area with old school cars say use bounce.

moth balls will probably kill anything living under it. I'd rather use the bounce. Put it in your interior too.

[tbone]

I put poison blocks around the perimiter of my garage and shed every fall.

[gdmjoe]

The only problems with naphthalene (a.k.a. moth balls/cakes) is ... the smell permeates everything and is difficult (if not impossible) to get rid-of.
.
it is carcinogenicHOWEVER ... It does work and a little goes a long way.
.

[Bigdogjim]

Cut a bar of green Irish Spring soap and place under the hood, works better for car not being used everyday:)

Great for long term, place a 1/4 cut on each floor mat front and rear (I use wax paper on the floor) cut a bar in 1/2 for the trunk.

[MERCULES]

Cut a bar of green Irish Spring soap and place under the hood, works better for car not being used everyday:)

Great for long term, place a 1/4 cut on each floor mat front and rear (I use wax paper on the floor) cut a bar in 1/2 for the trunk.

Yeah tried that before,
it worked but I ended up with a bunch of stinkin Leprachauns in the car. ;)

[tbone]

Yeah tried that before,
it worked but I ended up with a bunch of stinkin Leprachauns in the car. ;)

An Irish joke!
:banana2:

[MyBlackBeasts]

Yeah tried that before,
it worked but I ended up with a bunch of stinkin Leprechauns in the car. ;)

>>>>>:up:<<<<<

[Spectragod]

Yeah tried that before,
it worked but I ended up with a bunch of stinkin Leprachauns in the car. ;)

Are you sure they weren't midgets?

[RF Overlord]

OK, I put a few generic dryer sheets (all I had at hand) in the nest-building area and a couple of sticky-traps under the car. Will pick up Bounce and Irish Spring today and let you all know the result.

[WhatsUpDOHC]

OK, I put a few generic dryer sheets (all I had at hand) in the nest-building area and a couple of sticky-traps under the car. Will pick up Bounce and Irish Spring today and let you all know the result.
You're gonna have some clean and good smellin rodents.

[1Marauder]

I you use mothballs, you car smells like GRANDPA!

[1Marauder]

Or like a "GrandMa Keys!"


Yes, I've been holding that one back since I heard it!

[MarauderCyclone]

The Bounce thing seems to work pretty well in my cars...but last year I had an Ant invasion into one of my 68 Torino's. Pretty odd...three cars sitting side by side and they only took up residence in one. That issue took weeks to finally resolve.

My 2000 Crown Vic spent the winter of 2003 in Pittsburgh. One morning I got up , fired up the car and the damned check engine light was on. The car never ran bad , the gas mileage was the same as before and I took it on faith that it was just some quirky electrical thing. No Issues ever.

After that winter was over I got my marching orders to come back home to North Carolina. I decided to take the car to the local Ford Dealership to have the car checked out before driving 500 miles home. You have to understand that I was essentially living out of a suitcase for an entire year and all my tools were back in NC , so do it yourself work was out of the question.

My car was in the service area just a few minutes , and the Service Writer says my car was ready to go. Seems the Tech found a wire leading out of the gas tank area had been chewed in half by a squirell or a racoon. The area I was in near the airport was crawling with the things. The Ford Dealership didn't charge me for anything but the oil and air filter change. The spliced and soldered the wire and that cured the Check Engine Light.

I can't imagine anything that would ward off a Racoon or a hungry squirrel in the dead of winter.

[RF Overlord]

Well, the dryer sheets worked....for a while.

Hadn't checked on The Blackbird in a week or so, and damned if the blankety-blank nest wasn't back this morning.

I've heard coyote urine crystals sprinkled around the car will work, but we do have coyotes in the area so I don't want to attract them, either.

This is very strange...the car has sat winters in the exact same spot for 11 years and never had an issue like this until now.

[RF Overlord]

Well, I think I at least know what sort of rodent it is...I think it's a red squirrel. I knew the nest was too big to be mice.

I now have mothballs, Bounce dryer sheets, and a bar of Irish Spring under the hood. Crossing fingers...

[MMBLUE]

Try this http://www.autoanything.com/car-covers/rhino-shelter-car-storage-bag

[Shaijack]

Save the Small Rodents League

[RF Overlord]

Update: A packet of mothballs on top of the evaporator housing, some Irish spring in the wheel well area and Bounce dryers sheets in various places seem to have done it. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Dude]

Lol. This is all odd to me. I live in Arizona so I just drive my car all year round. No problems there.. ;) I even race my mustang all year round. Winter time is the best since the air is nice and cool.

[jsignorelli]

We have this problem with squirrels. My best deterrent is the mint garbage bags under the hood. Most rodents hate the mint aroma and keep away. In the garage, we place out rodent traps and pesticide. If all else fails, there is my neighbors Siamese cat. She is the best mouser I have ever seen. She has even caught an adult rabbit. Wish I had her back in the 60's to keep our horse barn free.

[Carolina Man]

Try using a small screw on cap full pf peppermint oil in the interior and under hood. I seen this used in a 63 Impala stored outside in a carport during the winter to keep varmints out.

[massacre]

Try using a small screw on cap full pf peppermint oil in the interior and under hood. I seen this used in a 63 Impala stored outside in a carport during the winter to keep varmints out.

^^^ truth

We grow mint around our chicken coop to keep critters out and it really works they don't like it at all. Only problem is Mint is very invasive and it will take over so we use pots, plus it doesn't survive the winters here.
So the oil should work for winter, good idea!

[RF Overlord]

Peppermint oil, eh? At least that will smell better than mothballs if I forget to take it out before driving the car... :)

[jsignorelli]

If you have all of that mint, I can send you a recipe for spaghetti that uses the small mint leaves from the top of the plant. It is a northern Italian delite. You make a puree of the mint leaves, olive oil, and fresh garlic. Pour over the cooked pasta, dress with lots of cheese, and a nice, well chilled white wine.

[Marauderjack]

Now ya gotta worry about Italians nestin' under your hood Bob!!:eek:

[jsignorelli]

Unlike squirrels, we carry side arms. We don't make a nest, we take yours.

[massacre]

If you have all of that mint, I can send you a recipe for spaghetti that uses the small mint leaves from the top of the plant. It is a northern Italian delite. You make a puree of the mint leaves, olive oil, and fresh garlic. Pour over the cooked pasta, dress with lots of cheese, and a nice, well chilled white wine.

So you make a pesto but with mint?
That does sound pretty tasty. I usually put it in tea and fruit salad in the summertime.

[jsignorelli]

Yes.. the mint is used for the pesto.

There is a similar recipe for cauliflower with pasta. Steamed cauliflower tops replace the mint. stir together with the garlic / oil mixture. Top with grating cheese, and a quick trip into the oven to brown the cheese. Really good. Again, white wine is called for.

[Marauderjack]

Unlike squirrels, we carry side arms. We don't make a nest, we take yours.

Bob may welcome your invasion.....sounds like I would especially with the great food you have described!!:beer:

Ever thought about moving down here??:confused:

Tip: Do the MINT Bob....Do the MINT!!:beer:

[RF Overlord]

OMG...mint, cauliflower, cheese...I may move out of the house and make my own nest under the hood.

[jsignorelli]

If you make the spaghetti with mint you get:
a) no squirrels will bother you
b) you breath smells pretty good
c) help to the intestines
d) when you pass gas, it won't smell so bad..... maybe!