Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 23:04:37 +0200
Reply-To: Robert Steven Fish <fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Steven Fish <fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT>
Subject: Re: mice and chewed wiring?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Hi,
Here we have a situation where the rubber compoonants are chewed up, and it
is due to an animal called a "Marder". I think that this translates to a
mink... but am not 100% certain. I know that it looks like a mink because
there are products out that claim to protect your rubber against these
attacks.... and they al show this slinky feret like animal on the label.
Anyway, they do get into the engine area, and tehy do chew any rubber that
they can find..... it is a real problem. I haev heard stories of people
moving from their apartments because their car was being eaten up so
often..... crazy.
Good luck... I would be curious to know if you ever find out what was really
eating your wires!
RSF
IMPORTANT!!! In order to reply to me, you must have the word "FISH"
somewhere in the subject line of the email. Otherwise it goes directly in
the trash.
<º)))>{ <º)))>{ <º)))>{ <º)))>{ <º)))>{ <º)))>{
Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Brittain" <vanpire@CITLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2002 6:12 PM
Subject: mice and chewed wiring?
> Volks,
>
> Two times within the last three weeks my van has run bad and I've
> found broken wires just before the harness that plugs into the AFM (89
> Westy). First time, I thought I may have pinched them when changing
> the air filter. They appeared to have been pinched. So, I spliced them
> and went about my business. Yesterday, I started my van for a trip
> into town and it was running with AFM type symptoms, hesitation, etc.
>
> I decided to pop the top off when I got back and spray some cleaner,
> check for tracking, do all the typical fixes (the capacitor mod is in
> place) and check WOT switch. When I got to town, I looked inside and
> the same group of wires were broken or chewed in almost the same
> place.
>
> Do mice chew all the way through a wire? I have a friend who's a good
> mechanic and he says they're really bad around here (Moab area, Utah)
> and do a lot of damage to wiring. Any ideas for fixes. He suggested
> some heavy duty sticky insulating tape. He did have some plastic
> accordion looking protective tubing and put some on for me. We then
> looked at the other places a mouse might like to chew, i.e., injector
> wires. It would take a lot that stuff to cover it all.
>
> So, any ideas for dealing with mice, or has anyone found anything that
> might break the wiring just before it enters the air box? Yes, my air
> intake is secured and I don't see anything in the engine compartment
> that might break wires at that point.
>
> Appreciate any help or advice
>
> And finally, I asked for pmail last post because I'm on digest. A
> listee took time out of his day to scold me because pmail replies do
> not become part of the archives. So, please CC me if you post a reply
> to the list.
>
> Fred
>
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