I've tried just about everything to keep mice out of my RV. Cab Fresh works, but I've fallen behind in replenishing it. So I just put poison out, which seems to be effective in driving them out. But the poison attracts them in, then they go out and die. I've found 2 on the ground outside the RV.
Anywho, the inside situation is what it is.
I've also got issues outside. I think there are squirrels living, or at least hosting parties, between the gas tank and the floor. I went out there the other day and a herd of them scattered from underneath. It was then I realized that the air suspension wasn't working. The pump runs and runs but doesn't build any pressure. I hooked a compressor up to the manual fill and couldn't air it up. I can't hear, however, where the air is going but the line runs over the top of the gas tank and into the air valves above the axle. I think the squirrels chewed them up. I can't get to them because all the air leaked out and the back end is sitting on the ground. When the weather gets warmer I'm going to have to carefully pull it out onto the blacktop so I can jack it up. It's on a pretty good slope right now and I can't get a jack safely positioned under it.
Today I started it for the first time in months. The starter has been sketchy and I haven't had time to fix it. I turned the engine a bit by hand and the starter finally engaged. Once it started to heat up there was smoke pouring out from the engine compartment. I shut it down and took the cover off. There was so much smoke (steam, it turns out) I couldn't see anything. I let it cool down and saw what I thought was antifreeze filling the valleys on the left side of the intake manifold. It was boiling from the heat of the cast-in exhaust crossover. I put my finger in the liquid and sniffed it. It was greenish and sort of smelled like antifreeze. So I figured I'd start it back up and let it boil off. Then it occurred to me that antifreeze shouldn't be boiling like that. I looked again and noticed that the liquid was in places it couldn't possibly get if it were an intake manifold leak. I think it was critter pee! It's only 20 degrees out today so I guess it was frozen. After running for 15 minutes and after all the liquid boiled off, I let it cool down for about 30 minutes. I went back out and everything is bone dry. I started it again and let it run. No leaks. It had to be pee - I've never seen so many mouse droppings in one place, but there was no nest. I don't know what to think.
I never had this problem at my old house where I had it parked on a paved spot. I plan to pave a spot for it in the Spring so hopefully that will help. In the meantime I have to figure out how to move it with no air in the bags, or find a way to safely jack it up in the dirt where it sits.
Anywho, the inside situation is what it is.
I've also got issues outside. I think there are squirrels living, or at least hosting parties, between the gas tank and the floor. I went out there the other day and a herd of them scattered from underneath. It was then I realized that the air suspension wasn't working. The pump runs and runs but doesn't build any pressure. I hooked a compressor up to the manual fill and couldn't air it up. I can't hear, however, where the air is going but the line runs over the top of the gas tank and into the air valves above the axle. I think the squirrels chewed them up. I can't get to them because all the air leaked out and the back end is sitting on the ground. When the weather gets warmer I'm going to have to carefully pull it out onto the blacktop so I can jack it up. It's on a pretty good slope right now and I can't get a jack safely positioned under it.
Today I started it for the first time in months. The starter has been sketchy and I haven't had time to fix it. I turned the engine a bit by hand and the starter finally engaged. Once it started to heat up there was smoke pouring out from the engine compartment. I shut it down and took the cover off. There was so much smoke (steam, it turns out) I couldn't see anything. I let it cool down and saw what I thought was antifreeze filling the valleys on the left side of the intake manifold. It was boiling from the heat of the cast-in exhaust crossover. I put my finger in the liquid and sniffed it. It was greenish and sort of smelled like antifreeze. So I figured I'd start it back up and let it boil off. Then it occurred to me that antifreeze shouldn't be boiling like that. I looked again and noticed that the liquid was in places it couldn't possibly get if it were an intake manifold leak. I think it was critter pee! It's only 20 degrees out today so I guess it was frozen. After running for 15 minutes and after all the liquid boiled off, I let it cool down for about 30 minutes. I went back out and everything is bone dry. I started it again and let it run. No leaks. It had to be pee - I've never seen so many mouse droppings in one place, but there was no nest. I don't know what to think.
I never had this problem at my old house where I had it parked on a paved spot. I plan to pave a spot for it in the Spring so hopefully that will help. In the meantime I have to figure out how to move it with no air in the bags, or find a way to safely jack it up in the dirt where it sits.
Grit dog wrote:
That stinks, but hey you got nice new floor!
3 words.
Get a cat!
Thanks! That's the nice new floor I had to tear up to get at the access hole and now have to re-install ๐ I have to admit that it does come up easy - gotta love snap-together laminate flooring.
What kills me is that there's a decent-sized feral cat population around here as well as foxes that live on my property. The squirrels have them outnumbered like 100 to 1, though.
So here's the results of the squirrel infestation. They were indeed nesting in between the top of the gas tank and the floor. They chewed up the air pump wiring harness (9 conductor cable), the air supply line for the Jet Ride system, the air supply line for my air horns and air pressure gauge, the gas line for the engine, generator and a vent line. I had to tear up the floors and reopen an access hole I had cut into the floor 5 years ago. Believe it or not, it's much easier than dropping the tank.
Thanks all for the replies.
There are a couple of feral cats on the property - I see them on my security cameras almost daily. We have some fox, too. If not for them I'd bet things would be a lot worse.
I do need to seal up the outside openings. There are only a couple that are big enough for a critter to get through - the biggest being where the power cord goes in. I've been meaning to do something with it for a while - I'm pretty sure that's where the mice are getting in. I know that's where the ants get in, but that's a whole 'nother rant.
Deflated footballs sounds like a good if-you-can't-beat-em-join-em plan. Give them something to chew on. I'd just have to remember it. Also spraying a lubricant to deter them sounds like it has promise. I'd like to think if I go out there and start it up more regularly they'd not hang out there. But, counting the RV, I have 7 vehicles. Except for the motorhome, none sit for more than a week. I have more cars than drivers but I make a point not to let them sit. Even so, every single car has busted open acorns and droppings on top of the intake manifold. It's crazy. So far no chewed wires, though.
There are a couple of feral cats on the property - I see them on my security cameras almost daily. We have some fox, too. If not for them I'd bet things would be a lot worse.
I do need to seal up the outside openings. There are only a couple that are big enough for a critter to get through - the biggest being where the power cord goes in. I've been meaning to do something with it for a while - I'm pretty sure that's where the mice are getting in. I know that's where the ants get in, but that's a whole 'nother rant.
Deflated footballs sounds like a good if-you-can't-beat-em-join-em plan. Give them something to chew on. I'd just have to remember it. Also spraying a lubricant to deter them sounds like it has promise. I'd like to think if I go out there and start it up more regularly they'd not hang out there. But, counting the RV, I have 7 vehicles. Except for the motorhome, none sit for more than a week. I have more cars than drivers but I make a point not to let them sit. Even so, every single car has busted open acorns and droppings on top of the intake manifold. It's crazy. So far no chewed wires, though.
Bought my last trailer in 2011, first spring after I discovered mice had been in my trailer over the winter... :M
That spring I inspected under the floor deck and this is what I found
and this...
There were a few other openings but I sealed them all up that spring and never had a problem again. :C since owning rv's I have always used mouth balls & bounce sheets, honestly I really dont think they do much but I will continue to use them.
We have also had problems with both Red & Gray squirrels. 2 summers ago they have chewed a hole in my old shed doors and got into my lawn tractor engine and other important things. They did some damage, I ended up replacing the doors. I also for about 2 weeks straight used a "Have a Heart trap" where i was removing 1 per day but they kept coming... Cut down my Black Walnut tree last summer and this helped somewhat, If I continue to have problems I will look into the Squirrel pole idea! :C
One other thing of note and as mentioned, before ALL of this we had a indoor/outdoor cat that hunted everything! ... never had any problems with rodents, don't underestimate a good Cat!
Mike
That spring I inspected under the floor deck and this is what I found
and this...
There were a few other openings but I sealed them all up that spring and never had a problem again. :C since owning rv's I have always used mouth balls & bounce sheets, honestly I really dont think they do much but I will continue to use them.
We have also had problems with both Red & Gray squirrels. 2 summers ago they have chewed a hole in my old shed doors and got into my lawn tractor engine and other important things. They did some damage, I ended up replacing the doors. I also for about 2 weeks straight used a "Have a Heart trap" where i was removing 1 per day but they kept coming... Cut down my Black Walnut tree last summer and this helped somewhat, If I continue to have problems I will look into the Squirrel pole idea! :C
One other thing of note and as mentioned, before ALL of this we had a indoor/outdoor cat that hunted everything! ... never had any problems with rodents, don't underestimate a good Cat!
Mike
