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Old 11-13-2019, 03:52 PM   #1
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Mice in the air cleaner box.

Just came back from the Mercedes dealer having the first service done. They found a rodent nest in the air cleaner box. Has anyone had this particular problem? I've had the coach for about a year and fought the good fight with them getting inside. This is a new one for me. Don't know when, where it may have begun. The unit sat around the dealer for a year before I purchased it. I'm going to try and figure out how to install a screen in the inlet tube. I used moth balls under the hood last season. On my way out to the farm store today to stock up on more.
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Old 11-13-2019, 07:37 PM   #2
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very similar issue with squirrels and the air cleaner box on my wife's land cruiser. when i went to check the air filter i pulled it out and there were a bunch of pine and peanuts stashed in the bottom of the air cleaner box.
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Old 11-13-2019, 08:51 PM   #3
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After letting ours sit for a month this summer between trips, had the same issue. Packed it up for a trip and was ready to leave. Tried to start the engine. It would crank and run briefly but then die. Kept trying but same result. Knew it had full tank of diesel, so I pulled the breather and low and behold the mice had set up house keeping under the air filter. After I evicted them, we hit the road an hour late on our planned departure.
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Old 11-13-2019, 11:45 PM   #4
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Here's my story from earlier this year:

Headed out for the University of New Hampshire Spring Football Game (700 miles one way). After the first refuel, the engine light came on. My buddy's words regarding a diesel engine's emmision system unreliability had turned to reality. So I thought. I continued on hoping the light would go out. It did not. About 600 miles in, the air cleaner light came on. Read the book and discovered that I was living on borrowed time with the engine light. Sooner or later, the computer would trigger a no start situation that would leave me, the wife, the kid, and the dog stranded. I stopped at a Mercedes dealer and bought an air filter. The old filter wasn't that dirty but I discovered that the air box had a huge crack in it on the unfiltered side. I slapped the new filter in. That did absolutely nothing. Still had both engine light and air filter light. I canceled the campground reservation, made an appointment at Mercedes of Manchester, NH and went to a hotel. The next morning (Saturday and also game day), at the dealership, the service manager takes me out to show me the problem. Turns out there was a huge mouse nest in the cold air intake that leads to the airbox. That poor diesel was suffocating. It sucked so hard it broke the airbox. $370 later I was back in business. Big thanks to Mercedes of Manchester for getting me in on a Saturday and getting me back on the road!

A few weeks later, about 300 miles into the next trip, The air filter light came on again. I opened up the airbox and found that the mice moved back into the Benz. This time they made it all the way up into the airbox and piled up this mess right under the air filter. At least it didn't break the airbox this time. I cleaned he nest out, and went on my way. The light eventually went out.



I made up a screen out of 1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh and fastened it over the snorkel opening. My buddies convinced me that a mouse could still squeeze through a 1/2" square hole. I still doubt that this is true, but I went ahead and switched out the 1/2" opening mesh for 1/4" opening mesh. You'll have to remove the grill to do the job properly. Also, in case you don't already know, there is a torx driver in the tool kit (with the jack under the right front floor board) that fits the airbox screws.



I HATE MICE!
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Old 11-14-2019, 01:42 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetplate View Post
Just came back from the Mercedes dealer having the first service done. They found a rodent nest in the air cleaner box. Has anyone had this particular problem? I've had the coach for about a year and fought the good fight with them getting inside. This is a new one for me. Don't know when, where it may have begun. The unit sat around the dealer for a year before I purchased it. I'm going to try and figure out how to install a screen in the inlet tube. I used moth balls under the hood last season. On my way out to the farm store today to stock up on more.
Vehicle manufacturers have been using soy to insulate the wiring. Guess what likes to eat soy? I have a number of friends that have had to replace entire wiring harnesses.
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Old 11-14-2019, 01:54 PM   #6
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I had 1000 dollars worth of damage from rodents. My RV sprinter chassey. Mine is on concrete slab put moth balls front and back tires but what I think did the trick was hot wire used to keep animals in pasture. Drilled and put insulated plastic wire holders completely around unit. Haven’t had anymore rats or mice. Found some frogs fried on wire. Cost less than 75.00 dollars and the time to drill holes for insulators.
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Old 11-14-2019, 02:46 PM   #7
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Lost count

I've lost count of the times I've pulled handfuls of acorns out of the air cleaners and intake manifolds on the 1962 Impala, the 2006 Tahoe, and the 2006 Yukon XL.

The problem is not specific to Mercedes.
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Old 11-14-2019, 03:00 PM   #8
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I've not had a problem since putting half bar of Irish Spring soap in my air boxes.
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Old 11-14-2019, 03:34 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by sfsgm View Post
Vehicle manufacturers have been using soy to insulate the wiring. Guess what likes to eat soy? I have a number of friends that have had to replace entire wiring harnesses.
My son has had the wiring harness on his Honda Pilot eaten twice by Rats. When they replaced the last one he was told they’ve changed the covering from soy content.
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Old 11-14-2019, 03:42 PM   #10
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They should have learned

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My son has had the wiring harness on his Honda Pilot eaten twice by Rats. When they replaced the last one he was told they’ve changed the covering from soy content.
You would think they would have learned by now.

During WWII, aluminum was scarce and reserved for the war effort. So the state of Illinois made automobile license plates out of a soy compound for a year. Many were eaten by goats.

Relevance: Maybe TT license plates were also made from soy.

Those who fail to learn the lessons of the past will eventually have to relearn them. (What's the George Santyana quote?)
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Old 11-14-2019, 04:50 PM   #11
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Had the same problem with my MB Sprinter. Had it less than a year when the nest was found and cost me $$$ to get the problem resolved. The dealer the rodent problem most likely came from the Coachman Plant or RV dealer as the units can sit for extended periods of time in less than ideal storage locations.
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Old 11-14-2019, 04:54 PM   #12
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Yep, have had this happen to us in the air-filters. Also had this happen to our cabin filters, one mouse fell into the heater fan and made a God-awful noise, cost 100 bucks at the shop to get it removed. we now use peppermint oil on the cabin filters and wire mesh in the air filter box intake.
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Old 11-14-2019, 05:40 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jdhudkins View Post
I had 1000 dollars worth of damage from rodents. My RV sprinter chassey. Mine is on concrete slab put moth balls front and back tires but what I think did the trick was hot wire used to keep animals in pasture. Drilled and put insulated plastic wire holders completely around unit. Haven’t had anymore rats or mice. Found some frogs fried on wire. Cost less than 75.00 dollars and the time to drill holes for insulators.

I can't picture this. they have to cross one cattle fence wire to get near RV? or did you run more than 1 wire? how high off ground?


I park in a field, I think I finaly beat the fire and black ants but maybe mice/rats will be next.
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Old 11-14-2019, 07:15 PM   #14
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solution

Have had the same problem with squirrels & mice.They once ate the master cylinder reservoir along with other items on wife's Volvo. my truck even spit out fried acorns from the exhaust once. After exhaustive research (well not exactly) I found the solution that works wonderfully.
Take a couple of cotton balls, put them in a mesh bag, fasten under the hood with a tie wrap and put a few drops of peppermint oil on the cotton. Seems rodents dislike peppermint. I usually put 2-3 under the hood depending on the size of the engine compartment. remember to re-apply peppermint every couple of months.
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Old 11-14-2019, 09:29 PM   #15
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Have u seen video of rat eating Irish spring soap ? That kinda of shot down that idea ,
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Old 11-14-2019, 10:42 PM   #16
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I live on a grain farm, and I park my RV in the barn. Trust me there are mice around the farm. I buy a box of Fresh Cab every fall (when the mice are coming off fresh cut fields) and I distribute the 4 packets, 3 on the inside and 1 under the hood. I’ve had no sign of mice inside the RV or under the hood.

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoor...4427751360.htm
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Old 11-18-2019, 02:10 PM   #17
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Mice

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Originally Posted by Jetplate View Post
Just came back from the Mercedes dealer having the first service done. They found a rodent nest in the air cleaner box. Has anyone had this particular problem? I've had the coach for about a year and fought the good fight with them getting inside. This is a new one for me. Don't know when, where it may have begun. The unit sat around the dealer for a year before I purchased it. I'm going to try and figure out how to install a screen in the inlet tube. I used moth balls under the hood last season. On my way out to the farm store today to stock up on more.
You could try installing Bounce dyer sheets in the area or any access to determine them - especially in the engine compartment
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