Mice in my air filter housing!!!

[Drau2th]

Good Morning Fellow Thor Owners. I just finished my fall winterizing and maintenance on my 2017 Thor Vegas which included an oil and filter change on the V10 engine. All went well until I changed the air filter. When I got the housing open the old air filter exposed for removal it was coated with debris and fur!!! It appears that a mouse or mice had taken up residence in the housing that holds the air filter. I’m cleaned it all up and replaced the air filter. I then sprayed the housing interior that surrounds the filter with some peppermint oil spray that I also routinely spray under the rig and around the engine area to repel rodents. Has any one out there encountered this and if so any solutions would be most welcome! Dr. Au2th

[JeffreyLee]

I have had problems in past with cars outside having mice in engine area. I have been using dryer sheets and peppermint spray with success on my Miata stored in the garage. This is my first year with RV stored outside and have treated with peppermint several times in hope it keeps mice out. Fingers crossed.

[ducksface]

Stainless steel wool stuffed into the intake
Or
A piece of hardware wire cloth as a barrier.

Anything except a physical barrier is a bit of magical hope and nothing else.

Deterent chemical is not an absolute.

[Travelin' Texans]

Fresh Cab packets, found at Tractor Supply, placed inside under drawers & in/around several spots throughout the interior & under the hood works better than dryer sheets, peppermint oil &/or Irish Spring soap.
Also scatter some Ramick Green pellets, also at TSC, around the perimeter & underneath the rv.
I would NEVER use moth balls, those stinking things will keep every critter & every person, including the owner, a hundred yards away for months.
A few years ago we took off with the 5th wheel, truck had been in the shed not driven for a couple months, the truck seemed low on power & mileage was terrible. I thought it's been awhile since I'd changed the filter & like you found the housing packed tightly full of all sorts of stuff. Changed the filter & the truck ran great with much improved mileage. That's when I started using the above mentioned products.

[Drau2th]

I’m going with a physical barrier of several layers of leftover metal window screen covering the air intake and a microfiber towel soaked in in peppermint oil and stuffed inside of the narrow air intake. I zip tied the layers of metal screen with some zip ties and left the intake rotated up so I can quickly check it every month during winter storage of the RV parked right next to our garage. Drau2th

[HMCSW]

Do you keep it outside? Mice can be very destructive. My brother-in-law had mice chew through enough wires that the entire wire harness had to be replaced.

[bry899]

I have had mice also.
This is my intake on a class c, V-10, 1/2" mesh.
A little crude looking but works.
I also use Moth balls in the engine compartment and other areas.

Originally Posted by Drau2th

Good Morning Fellow Thor Owners. I just finished my fall winterizing and maintenance on my 2017 Thor Vegas which included an oil and filter change on the V10 engine. All went well until I changed the air filter. When I got the housing open the old air filter exposed for removal it was coated with debris and fur!!! It appears that a mouse or mice had taken up residence in the housing that holds the air filter. I’m cleaned it all up and replaced the air filter. I then sprayed the housing interior that surrounds the filter with some peppermint oil spray that I also routinely spray under the rig and around the engine area to repel rodents. Has any one out there encountered this and if so any solutions would be most welcome! Dr. Au2th

[Drau2th]

I tried Fresh Cab years ago in our 5th Wheel with some success. What are Ramick Green Pellets? The Peppermint solution I now use is 1% and specifically made for Cars, Trucks and RVs by Natural Armor. I’ve enclosed a picture on what is hopefully my solution to the mice in the air filter housing. Drau2th

[Travelin' Texans]

Ramick Green is a pellet type deterrent. RG & the Fresh Cab have a pleasant scent unlike moth balls.
If moth balls were the only thing that worked to keep critters away I'd have to have to deal with the critters.

[mcr1010]

I have had good results with Tom Cat sold at Lowes etc. Only drawback is that you are not suppose to spray on any elec. wires.

[Drau2th]

I too hate mothballs and have not used them for years. The Green pellets may be something to try on the ground under our rig but our dogs might get into them. Drau2th

[HMCSW]

Originally Posted by HMCSW

Do you keep it outside? Mice can be very destructive. My brother-in-law had mice chew through enough wires that the entire wire harness had to be replaced.

It was an Audi and insurance totaled the car.

[Edki45]

Originally Posted by Drau2th

Good Morning Fellow Thor Owners. I just finished my fall winterizing and maintenance on my 2017 Thor Vegas which included an oil and filter change on the V10 engine. All went well until I changed the air filter. When I got the housing open the old air filter exposed for removal it was coated with debris and fur!!! It appears that a mouse or mice had taken up residence in the housing that holds the air filter. I’m cleaned it all up and replaced the air filter. I then sprayed the housing interior that surrounds the filter with some peppermint oil spray that I also routinely spray under the rig and around the engine area to repel rodents. Has any one out there encountered this and if so any solutions would be most welcome! Dr. Au2th

At the Acura dealership that I worked at we had similar problems. They would also also chew up wires because they have some soy products mixed with the insulation. We would put dry rat poison in the very bottom of the air cleaner and sprinkle some on the intake manifolds and on top of it transmission where it mates to the engine. Fall and winter is the time when most of this happens. They are looking for a warm nest so they like to just lay on top of the engine and chew on wiring. You might also find them in your air conditioning/heater system. If so, all you can do is clean them out. They also get in the squirrel cage blower. Fortunately they cannot run that fast very long LOL. I have seen a few worn out mice and hundreds of chewed wires. Chewed wires usually messed up our transmission shifting.

[Calico]

Originally Posted by HMCSW

Do you keep it outside? Mice can be very destructive. My brother-in-law had mice chew through enough wires that the entire wire harness had to be replaced.

We had a rodent get under the hood of my husband's F-150 pickup truck, and it chewed through a bunch of wires also and Ford had to replace a whole slew of things including the wiring harness. It was a repair job that came to over $3,000 as they had to pull the engine. My insurance agent was kind enough to inform me to never use the words rodent, mouse, rat, squirrel or any other little rodents when putting in the claim. Insurance companies will not cover damage done by rodents of any kind. When we put in the claim we told him the damage was done by a bear. They covered the repairs without a problem.

[ducksface]

My tractor caught fire yesterday due to a rat nest built onto the exhaust manifold.
Luckily I had gloves on and was able to pull the burning cedar bark by hand.

[DaveBiles]

We use moth balls wrapped in cheese cloth. Works for us.

[DaveBiles]

We use moth balls wrapped in cheese cloth

[MLP]

If you ever get a skunk under your house nesting, wait till the litter follows mom out at night and spread a good two large moth ball boxes of them under the house. They will move themselves out without spraying. They do hate mothballs.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Edki45

At the Acura dealership that I worked at we had similar problems. They would also also chew up wires because they have some soy products mixed with the insulation. We would put dry rat poison in the very bottom of the air cleaner and sprinkle some on the intake manifolds and on top of it transmission where it mates to the engine. Fall and winter is the time when most of this happens. They are looking for a warm nest so they like to just lay on top of the engine and chew on wiring. You might also find them in your air conditioning/heater system. If so, all you can do is clean them out. They also get in the squirrel cage blower. Fortunately they cannot run that fast very long LOL. I have seen a few worn out mice and hundreds of chewed wires. Chewed wires usually messed up our transmission shifting.

Soy products is actually soy oil. They make wonderful plastic containers and wire insulation. Yes it will breakdown and thus is ECO friendly. The industry is getting away from petroleum products. It the ECO mandated thing. It makes all wiring insulation food for mice and rats, and if you are lucky, squirrels. Oh joyous fun!

[OURMOHO]

We have had luck (knock on wood!) with placing the Fresh Cab rodent Repellent packets on the batteries and near the intake. We also use solar power white Christmas lights in the engine bay and underneath the vehicle (we store our RV outside so solar lights are great). The theory is mice don’t like the light and won’t nest in disco-ball strobe light areas ha!! Didn’t believe it, but figured we give it a shot. Had mice droppings in May on the batteries, but nada since we installed the packets and the lights. Fingers crossed!