Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment

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Sat 27 Jul 2019 17:54
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - DJF1961

Recently I had an electrical problem which was diagnosed as rodents having got in behind the battery compartment and chewed some wiring. (I assume this happened a few monts ago when it was cold and it only recently manifested itself). Luckily it was repairable and did NOT require a new loom (otherwise bye-bye a really great car). How do I now ensure that this doesn't happen again ?

The car is parked outside in the drive and fairly close to a hedge beyond which is a field. I now park it a good 5 feet or so from the hedge and have put rat poison under the car. Various online remedies suggest putting all sorts of stuff in the engine compartment but the car is used every day. There are lots of electronic products and for every "it works fine" review, there is a "it doesn't work at all" review.

Does anyone have any practical experience of some sort of repellent that really works ?

In a few weeks time, my younger son (who is in the RN) will be off on deployment for a considerable while and will be leaving his 2006 BMW 330i (which he loves) at home for me to look after and keep ticking over and I don't want that to become a mouse/rat home during the winter.

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Sat 27 Jul 2019 18:31
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - bathtub tom

I laid up a car on a driveway for 6 months and was advised to spray WD40 around the engine and wiring as a rodent deterrent. It worked for me, but then again I don't know if was a deterrent, or if there wouldn't have been a problem anyway.

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Sun 28 Jul 2019 12:44
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - skidpan

In a few weeks time, my younger son (who is in the RN) will be off on deployment for a considerable while and will be leaving his 2006 BMW 330i (which he loves) at home for me to look after and keep ticking over and I don't want that to become a mouse/rat home during the winter.

Lets forget about rats, what about insurance. Obviously it will be SORN'd and thus insurance will not be needed as long as its parked off the pubic highway but unless its in a secure garage or yard its possible it could get stolen or vandalised. Would they be happy taking that hit even though a £13 year old 330i will not be worth a fortune?

As for keeping it "ticking over" that is just about the worst thing you can do for an engine. Many Caterham owners I knew used to do that (and some probably still do) over the winter months but in reality it unless you leave it idling for ages the engine does not really get up to temp and the low temp running will do the car no favours. I put the Caterham away late October and take it out early April. Keep the battery charged occasionally using my old Gunsons "smart'ish" charger and it always starts first time.

Obviously if its taxed and insured take it for a decent drive every couple of weeks, other than that pump the tyres up hard, take the battery off and keep a look out for rodents.

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Sun 28 Jul 2019 13:15
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - RT

In a few weeks time, my younger son (who is in the RN) will be off on deployment for a considerable while and will be leaving his 2006 BMW 330i (which he loves) at home for me to look after and keep ticking over and I don't want that to become a mouse/rat home during the winter.

Lets forget about rats, what about insurance. Obviously it will be SORN'd and thus insurance will not be needed as long as its parked off the pubic highway but unless its in a secure garage or yard its possible it could get stolen or vandalised. Would they be happy taking that hit even though a £13 year old 330i will not be worth a fortune?

As for keeping it "ticking over" that is just about the worst thing you can do for an engine. Many Caterham owners I knew used to do that (and some probably still do) over the winter months but in reality it unless you leave it idling for ages the engine does not really get up to temp and the low temp running will do the car no favours. I put the Caterham away late October and take it out early April. Keep the battery charged occasionally using my old Gunsons "smart'ish" charger and it always starts first time.

Obviously if its taxed and insured take it for a decent drive every couple of weeks, other than that pump the tyres up hard, take the battery off and keep a look out for rodents.

Agreed - last year I had a 10 month medical driving ban - managed to persuade my insurer to keep the policy running but without me as a named driver - and got a couple of friends to take me out for a ride on their "driving other cars" - risky as that was only third party.

IMO an engine/transmission should be run up to full temperature, not just a warm up.

For the OP, suggest your son adds you to the policy as a named driver so you can exercise the car properly - might even reduce his insurance.

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Sun 28 Jul 2019 13:44
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - focussed

We get loads of trouble over here in france with various critters getting into the roofs of old houses, rats, mice, loire - which is a variety of the glis glis rodent found around the aylesbury area in the UK and fouines, beech marten, stone marten or foul marten in english, a sort of polecat/ferret type of animal, which is notorious for chewing the insulation on wires and cables. and also brake pipes. The reason for this is apparently cable insulation is nowadays made from a soya derivative and contains fish oil - obviously delicious.

What seems to work as a deterrent to most of these pests is old fashioned moth-balls if you can get the original smelly ones.

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Mon 29 Jul 2019 05:21
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - edlithgow

Cat?

Jack Russel?

You could maybe borrow.

Here in Taiwan I've considered a King Snake (quite common) but it'd be cruel to shut one in the car, difficult to keep it there, and itt'd probably die.

Frequent disturbance helps, as does not parking near drains, and replacing plastic floor drain plugs with flattened cans, though that doesn't apply to the engine compartment.

.Moving the vehicle frequently also deters Bivouac Ants, since they loose any patrols they have out and get into unpredictable geopolitical conflicts with static nest territories. Eventually I think they get tired of taking the casualties.

Edited by edlithgow on 29/07/2019 at 05:23

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Mon 12 Aug 2019 04:27
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - edlithgow

Away for a couple of days and found another rats nest in the luggage area under the mat.

It'd moved and chewed up my ignition system notes for nesting material, better than chewing up the ignition system I suppose..

The hatch was closed but not locked, so maybe it shoved it open. I have the floor drains blanked off with metal but I daresay there are other ways in.

Could be my veg oil rust proofing is attractive, but I think its just the lure of somewhere dry in the rainy season.

Ferret?

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Mon 12 Aug 2019 05:50
Ford Focus Estate 2007 TDI 1.8L - How do I keep rodents out of engine compartment - edlithgow

Clearing up I note that, while there is a lot of pink and clear plastic, plus some spongy fruit padding apparently brought in, chewed up into confetti in the spare wheel well, two black bin bags in the boot area are apparently untouched.

Maybe rat mothers prefer pink for the nursery, but it could be the bin bags are treated with a repellent which is at least partly effective.

This might suggest the moth balls suggested above have a chance of working.

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