Keep Mice Out Of The Cabin Filter!

@uhmgawa

Hear ya. Its a difficult thing to determine what actually works unless you perform experiments yourself. Is it the product or do the mice just want to hang out somewhere else? No real concern where I live to bother with this & that. A few years back though, while the '19 4R was parked elsewhere, this exact scenario happened. Nest actually filled the entire duct. Fur, corn, shit, and bedding spilled over onto the cowl. There was even a couple spots they were storing extra corn. That truck is gone and one of the first things I did to the '22 was OPs method. Though I used stainless mesh. Just in case I'm in an area that that possibility should happen again.

 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rat/mouse around my house (just a constant battle with palmettos), but it could be a worthwhile endeavor for when your parked somewhere else.

 

Well that explains how I got a bunch of snow piled on top of my in cabin air filter...

Ill have to come up with a diverter mod or something.

 

One recurring thought during this years long ordeal was using the commercial solid bait blocks, with a hole drilled through the center for a wire to hang them around the compartment. A similar scattered strategy as the scent bags/oil but with a different end result. In the pro column is the fact it is obvious visually when they need to be replaced. The suspect con being an expired carcass deteriorating somewhere disagreeable in the vehicle.

 

How are the mice getting past the cowl panels into the lower cowl area where the filter intake is located? My cowl grid looks too small.

 

Knock on wood so far ok. I have mouse poison and loads of bounce fabric softener in front of it in garage. I get a whiff each time I open garage and put fresh sheets down once a month

 

I use the $19.99 4 pack pouches and the $13.99 spray. Put some Peppermint oil on the pouches, then one in cargo area, one under front seat. They smell sort of like evergreens. When smell goes away, about a month, replace. Also add peppermint oil to spray and spray in engine compartment about once a month.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/search/rodent repellent/animal-rodent-repellent?&srch=rodent repellent


Thinking I might also pull the HVAC filter once a month and spray that area but that might cause too much smell.

 

Wow that's awesome, thanks for that post. I wish I saw it a year ago. I did the same thing as you. Now they just nest on top of the screen!
I posted about mice inside my 5th gen and now the mice have moved out and full-on rats have moved in huge turds pissing all over the inside of the engine compartment chewing on wires they've already eaten all the factory insulation and I've replaced that with the rubberized type. Now, I'm dealing with knock sensor 2 circuit high input codes. Rat related I'm sure.

 

This may be interesting and should work for the 4 runner.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/for-sale-cowl-intake-snorkel-kits-and-hvac-screens.811746/
I have been wanting something just to keep the leaves out, but have not had the time to pull it all apart and measure the 4runner opening.
Should be easy to CAD up and print

 

This is a timely thread to pop back up.

I just found that a mouse made a house in my engine compartment.

Looked like he found some household insulation from my neighbors remodel project and decided to stuff it in the air intake filter box, under the air filter.

Since the filtering of dirt and particulates has actually improved with the mouses addition, can I claim this is the first mouse to actually improve performance? At minimum, he's saving me money on needing a new air filter sooner.

 

I’ll be covering that hole shortly as preventative measures.

Anyone else that has done it how have you secured the mesh to the body/ opening? I’m going to use 1/4” opening galvanized hardware cloth.

 

The injector wiring seems to be considered a good snack -maybe because it is thin?
Ate injector wiring on Dodge van. Spliced in new stranded copper with solder, taped up and it worked.

 

Thanks for the tips. Think I may have a problem…

 

We park outside and have had some rodent activity in engine compartments.

I got

$13 INNOYUMLIN 12 Pack Dog Scent Work Tins Training Kit Nose Work Magnetic Dots Scent Work Containers for Dogs Training Metal Box Smell Aluminum Cans with Lids (12pack)

some dog training scent containers. They are made of aluminum and the lids are screw-on, already perforated to allow scent to escape. Put some cotton in them.

I consulted with my go-to AI, and got some

$5 Amazon Basics Witch Hazel USP Astringent, Unscented, 16 Fluid Ounces (Previously Solimo)

witch hazel (carrier/solvent), some

$7 Handcraft Blends Vegetable Glycerin/Glycerine - for DIY Blends 8 Fl Oz - 100% Pure and Natural - Premium Grade Oil for Skin and Hair - Hair and Body - Massage

glycerine (binds the oils to the cotton), and three pungent oils:

$10 Handcraft Blends Peppermint Essential Oil – Huge 4 Fl Oz – 100% Pure and Natural – Premium Grade Essential Oil for Diffuser and Aromatherapy, Skin, Massage, Candle and Soap Making Fragrance

peppermint,

$10 Handcraft Blends Cinnamon Essential Oil – Huge 4 Fl Oz – 100% Pure and Natural – Premium Grade Essential Oil for Diffuser and Aromatherapy, Skin, Massage, Candle and Soap Making Fragrance

cinnamon, and

$10 Handcraft Blends Eucalyptus Essential Oil – Huge 4 Fl Oz – 100% Pure and Natural – Premium Grade Essential Oil for Diffuser and Aromatherapy, Skin, Massage, Candle and Soap Making Fragrance

eucalyptus.

I have an HDPE bottle where I temporarily mix and store (for a few hours max) the mix.

Mix is 30-40 ml witch hazel, a few drops of glycerine, and about 40 drops each of eucalyptus oil, cinnamon oil, and 80 drops of peppermint oil. I don't really count the drops anymore, I just suck up the oils in the dropper that comes with them and put it in the mix. That is the recipe the AI said would be good.

I cut some small holes in the side of the aluminum scent containers and zip-tied them strategically inside the engine compartment. I mix up a batch, shake it vigorously just before putting it on the cotton inside these scent containers.

About every month or so, I reapply.

I can notice the scent immediately outside the engine compartment right after it is reapplied, but after a couple of days, not so much. But rodents have a sense of smell which is hundreds (if not thousands) of times more sensitive than my addled old nose, and I trust that the potency remains for a few weeks, at least.

Dealer wanted $200 to spray some peppermint oil (more or less) in the engine compartment one time.

So far as I can tell, several months of my home-rolled treatment has been effective.

 

At least there's no babies to stomp to death. I mean flush. I'm trying to be kind.