# Animals nesting in engine

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 27, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722 "2007-11-27T19:55:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ChristieH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@ChristieH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChristieH)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/1 "2007-11-27T19:55:24Z")

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Does anyone know how to prevent small animals (packrats, in this case) from nesting in my car engine and eating my wiring? Someone suggested spraying (and leaving on) an engine cleaner.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/2 "2007-11-27T19:57:47Z")

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Contact your state’s department of agriculture office. They have genuine experts in pest control and their services are free.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/3 "2007-11-27T21:44:14Z")

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Good answer. I will add that a lot of people have good luck with mothballs. They will not work all the time. Cats can do a good job as well. Moving the car somewhere the animals not not is also a good move.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/4 "2007-11-27T23:02:21Z")

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Make sure you wash off any road salt from the wires, etc. Raccoons love the stuff and will strip your wires.

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**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/5 "2007-11-28T01:38:42Z")

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Standard rat poison placed in a way that it can not fall out when you drive or removed before you start the car.

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**Author:** ![millerkrx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@millerkrx](https://community.cartalk.com/u/millerkrx)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/6 "2007-11-28T18:54:18Z")

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Sometimes placing a few moth balls at strategic locations on the engine and around the vehicle will help to deter small animals from choosing your car for a home.

KM

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**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/animals-nesting-in-engine/7722/7 "2007-11-29T13:23:49Z")

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A standard rat trap with some tasty peanut butter on a piece of bread . . . watch your fingers! You can use it over and over until the problems goes away. Rocketman