Animals nesting in Engine compartment.

[sailor]

I have a squirrel or similar animal nesting in my engine compartment. It has chewed some of the insulation from around my fuel supply pipe exposing about 5 inches of pipe.
1. Any idea on what to use to patch up the missing insulation without having to replace with a new section?
2. How do you stop the creatures or persuade them to go to someone else's car!

 

[Train Dan]

I've heard mothballs work to discourage critters. They can be persistent; had some fieldmice build a nest in the rear of a now departed Jeep, and hitch a ride back into my garage.
I'm sure the insulation is there to discourage vapor lock, though I'm presuming Subies have their fuel pump in the tank.
How close is the insulation to anything really hot?
Dan

 

[sailor]

I've heard mothballs work to discourage critters. They can be persistent; had some fieldmice build a nest in the rear of a now departed Jeep, and hitch a ride back into my garage.
I'm sure the insulation is there to discourage vapor lock, though I'm presuming Subies have their fuel pump in the tank.
How close is the insulation to anything really hot?
Dan

Thanks for your reply Dan, the exposed fuel pipes are about 2" above the engine casing (crank shaft location) It is a boxer engine, so the cylinders (where the extreme heat would be) are a long way from the exposed pipes. Thanks for the idea of moth balls, I will do some shopping to see if they still exist. Thanks Geoff.

 

[perturbo67]

2. How do you stop the creatures or persuade them to go to someone else's car!

In the past we had rats or mice chewing off insulation on wires. Thousands in damage! The only thing that worked was waiting until the engine cooled and then placing dryer fabric softener sheets around the top of the engine. And of course removing them before starting up the car. And also getting an exterminator to trap or kill the unwanted inhabitants of my garage.

 

[Wolfy4Me]

Our car sits outside 24/7, I bought some cinnamon oil (located in the candle isle at Walmart), I mixed some of the oil in a spray bottle and lightly sprayed some around the engine compartment and on the insulation under the hood. I've had zero problems with varmints munching on anything under the hood. I do this again when I no longer can smell the oil.

 

[MacRaven]

When I got my 2nd new Subaru, an Outback Sport back in 2010, a Woodchuck got up into my engine compartment (car was only 3 months old) and chewed all the wires. $3,000 in damage. I feel your pain!! I said to the mechanic "Have you seen this before?" He said "Oh, yeah, and the Woodchuck was still in the car when they towed it in." At least mine jumped out.
Someone told me it is because they use a corn product or something in the wire sheaths that makes it attractive to animals? Don't know.

 

[perturbo67]

Someone told me it is because they use a corn product or something in the wire sheaths that makes it attractive to animals? Don't know.

I was told that some manufacturers were using insulation containing soy, which attracts rodents. I'd also heard that some of the manufacturers stopped using "tasty" insulation. But the warmth of an engine compartment can also attract animals during cold weather, as acorns resting on parts of the engine can reveal.

 

[Train Dan]

In one of the carzines, there was a tale of a Lambo Miura, for sale at a fire-sale price. Critters had eaten the wiring.
Sad thing being, the wiring/electronics in more ordinary cars (like our Subies) are more complex than that old exotic.
Dan