Rodent Havoc in Woolgoolga

[simonbat]

Spent a lovely week up at Woolgoolga and missed most of the rain in Sydney.

When I started the car for the trip home from Woolgoolga it was running roughly, felt like it was running on 3 cylinders, and lots of lights were showing on the dash board.
Made it home to Sydney.
Took the car to the local servo today and when they went to open the bonnet they jumped back saying there were eyes in there.
They gave me a broom and towel and told me to find a new home for the eyes in the park down the road.
Turns out the eyes belonged to two little mice who hid in the engine at Woolgoolga, now relocated to Epping.
Looks like they had a bit of a nibble on things and chewed through one of the injector wires thus causing all of my problems.
Wire now soldered back together and running smoothly again.
Now just need to give it a long run to clear the DPF Warning.

[marlin1856]

OMG haha that is so bizarre, cheers to the 2 little guys for not roasting under there

[Dicko1]

Not house mice. Some sort of native marsupial.

[HeavyPizzaz]

They are cute little buggers that’s for sure


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[Seigried]

Rats mice etc love the heat from the engine. Some people recomend when stopped for the night (in the bush) to leave the bonnet up with a ligh on the engine to detter rodents etc. Then once cooled down shut the bonnet.



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[GHendo]

I think my word when opening the bonnet would have been “Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty …”



Geoff

[BruceandBobbi]

I think my word when opening the bonnet would have been “Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty …”



Geoff

Umm. They are an Australian native Geoff and protected. .

[GHendo]

Umm. They are an Australian native Geoff and protected. .

Oh, my mistake! But Kitty would know that ...

Geoff

[HeavyPizzaz]

But Kitty would know that

Cracked me up



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[pajtastic]

Not house mice. Some sort of native marsupial.

Indeed, look like young Antechinus perhaps.

Very lucky they were ok, poor things. Hopefully they’ve survived in their new surroundings.

[farcanal]

This reminds me of a similar happenstance that I read about in a 4 x 4 magazine online.
A guy had bought a new Toyota something, might have been a Fortuner, and he had camped by a lake somewhere in NSW.
He was with another couple and a second vehicle, and same story, in the morning his brand new Toyota was running very rough on 3 pots. Apparently a water rat had got under the bonnet and chewed some vital wiring.
Anyway, long story short, they got the car to a dealer who broke the news that the complete harness would have to be replaced because just repairing the chewed wire would void the warranty. From memory, a $2500 repair. Don't quote me on that one.
I think the guy took his car to a local garage and the wire was soldered and taped ...good as new.

[woffleon]

They look like Mitsubishious injectus separartious a common problem on the NSW north coast. Had the same issue with bush rat when camping out they love the warmth of engine bays and to sharpen their teeth on soft plastic wiring harnesses. That oil filler depression make a fantastic nest site.

[Dicko1]

We get the white tailed rat up here (Cairns) and best way to deter them is leave an LED light on under the car, at night. Plenty have found chewed wires when camping at Lake Tinaroo.

[gemster]

Dealt with those things for over 10yrs when We lived at Woopie (Woolgoolga, Hard name to say, Lovely place to stay)... As others have said, a light on at night will keep them away...
Had to take in a stray cat just to deal with them, No more issues... Native or not they can be a real pain and cause lots of damage... We lived in a House in the Bananas and had lots around... Very common on the east coast, every bush camp has the same problem....
Gemster....