Mouse problems

[Solo Man]

Have just come back from 4500km trip. Did about 15,7km/l average. Car in question is 2002 E46 330d manual five speed. travelled at the speed limit all the time. Picked up a mouse/rat in Aliwal North. It had bitten off the outside temp sensor wires where they connect to the sensor. Fixed that in Durban (nearly bought a new sensor for R500 plus) but thought hey, let me check first to see what is the problem. Reconnected the wires and presto, it works! OK, so yesterday morning we leave from Aliwal where my wife visited her sister, was still dark and when i check the gauges, saw the temp meter right past the red!!. Car was still cold so stopped and check the water in the expansion tank. Was fine, so i knew it must be something else. Was worried about the minus temperatures that Aliwal encountered and thought at first that maybe the water in the radiator or block had maybe frosen (i do drive with anti freeze but was worried about the mix). Anyway, stopped a few times and checked to see if there was any water leaks, but nothing, everything fine, except for the gauge and the fact that the car had no power. Then, after checking again with the flashlight, i saw the eyes staring at me from deep down. Could see the bugger but no way that i could reach him/her?? My wife suggested getting a dowel and sharpening it and piercing the mouse/rat with it. Tried to scare the rodent by pressing the hooter (makes an awful noise with the bonnet open) but it went into hiding and i did not see it again. Anyway, bought a dowel and two mouse traps and rat poison which i left under the car last night, with some cheese as bait. This morning the cheese was gone but the traps did not go off! So got under the car, removed all the plates and covers and saw nothing. Was hoping to find the sensor at the expansion bottle eaten but nothing. Eventually had a good look from above and saw the sensor at the back bottom of the inlet manifold wires broken/eaten. I hope that is my problem as i assume that when the car senses that it is overheating it cuts the power and thus the boost, as there is not much boost when driving. Will be trying the insurance to have someone remove the manifold and fix the wiring as that is the only way to get to that sensor. If the insurance does not cover it i will have to give it a go myself. I pray that the mouse/rat is out of the car and either dead from the poison or found a new home (hope not my garage!!)

 

[Gizmo]

Leave the bonnet open when you park your car in the garage, the engine heat escapes and the rat has no warm place to live, it will move on. Next time Karcher the bastard out! Rats don't like water, especially when its @120bar!

 

[Keeran]

hahaha, stabbing the rat with a sharp dowel!!! :roflol:

 

[ChefDJ]

Cheese was probably gone from the traps because of ants :rollsmile:

 

[NavZ]

Rats don't like water, especially when its @120bar!

:biglol:

 

[Philip Foglar]

Get some Rattex in those tea bag type pouches, place under the engine bay and maybe somewhere in the engine bay for this rodent to find. Also put some water nearby. Of course you run the risk of it dying in your engine bay, but this stuff works for rat infestations!

 

[Gizmo]

I would rather take steps to catch it or chase it away than to use rattex and have it die in your car. That is a smell that will haunt you and you passengers for 3-6months, especially if it dies around the exhaust area.

 

[Rayzor]

Peanut butter works better than cheese :rollsmile: Hope you get rid of the little bugger

 

[MaX]

Seems like the problem is not only the mouse, its the enter button too :roflol:

 

[Solo Man]

OK, so the insurance was willing to pay up. When i went to BMW Herderview this morning to pick up my E90 that they had replaced some stuff before the MP expires next week, the Service Advisor told me that mice is a common problem and they often have to repair broken wires, etc. Wanted to get a quote from him for repairing my E46 with the mouse problem, but while waiting to hear from the insurance, i started on the repair work myself. I noticed that the boost sensor wires were chewed off as well as the temp sensor that is in the block under the inlet manifold. So took off the manifold and soldered new wires to the connectors and onto the wires in the loom. Finished tonight at about half past eight. Car is running like before the attack and the temp gauge is back to its normal 12 O'clock position and the boost is there when you need it. Am very thankful that i could find the problem and that i was able to reach the broken wires without taking the whole engine apart. I really got off cheap as this is the only damage plus the outside temp sensor wires that i repaired in Durban. I also removed the actuator for the EGR and blocked off the vacuum pipe going to the engine mountings and the EGR. Thanks for all the advice. Have put some rat poison under the car on the garage floor as well as around the walls of the garage. Will also be keeping an eye on the engine bay to see if the unwelcome visitor is either dead or gone.

 

[Gizmo]

Poison is not the answer, rat traps are.

 

[Philip Foglar]

Yep, I would do all I can to chase it out of the engine bay than have it die somewhere inside and stink it up. Baited traps are probably the best way!

 

[Hellas]

This is what happens when you remove the cats from your car...you get mice problems... :mmm:

 

[Solo Man]

Hellas, good one!!

 

[Nikhil]

Disconnect the exhaust at the down pipe and let it idle a bit, im sure you can smoke it out :fencelook:

 

[Philip Foglar]

This is what happens when you remove the cats from your car...you get mice problems... :mmm:

:rollsmile:

Install cats version 2! :tease: