!@#$%^ Squirrels!

[nikdfish]

Cranked up the truck to take a trailer load of tree trimmings to the stump dump & the engine was running rough with a "check engine" icon on the display. Plugged in an OBDC II scanner to check & read a "coil pack C primary/secondary" fault. OK, we had replaced one about 10K back so knew it was not a biggie. Found a local shop who had time to do it today & took it in.

When I dropped it off, I got to thinking about the issue with the VW last year and suggested they double check the wiring harness for rodent damage before getting into the coil pack replacement. (Last year, my 2015 TDI Golf had had two wires chewed through that had resulted in the radiator fan running full time & the A/C compressor not engaging - without throwing any codes ... )

Sure enough, the lead from the main harness trunk to the pack was chewed in two locations - one being directly behind a connector. They will be splicing in a new connector + some wire (about an hour labor & $10 or so in parts), then re-checking to see if the pack fault is still there. Hopefully I still get it back this PM, I want the dump trailer empty in case we have to clean up some tree damage associated with the storm(s) that may be coming through.

Seriously thinking about squirrel population reduction measures!

Nick

 

[bcp]

If squirrels had bare tails, they would be known as tree rats, and nobody would think they were cute.

Bruce

 

[frugalangler]

I've had them chew on a lot of things, they really like plastic like gas caps on mowers, dipsticks, etc. Every lawn plastic chair has tree rat teeth marks. I left a ZTR out for a month or so, tried to start it and the seat wiring for the safety switch was chewed in 3 places. They also love to chew on gutters, trim, and the like - we've got Hardi-board siding and there are teeth marks on the bottom of the siding above a lower level roof, and they love to steal fruit like my pears, they will grab one, take a bite, and drop it and grab another one. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[k0ua]

Yep, had damage before.:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/338860-dang-tree-rats-i-have.html?highlight=damage

 

[bigtiller]

Got any favorite recipes for squirrel?

 

[Stimw]

Had one chew the fuel line on my PU at the tank!
I was leaving my property and stopped to close a gate and smelled gas.
When I looked it was spraying onto the muffler/tail pipe.
Will shoot them on site!

 

[/pine]

Have had similar issues but am only finding mice droppings not squirrel...

 

[teg]

Have had similar issues but am only finding mice droppings not squirrel...

Same here... saw mouse droppings in my truck, out comes the traps... so many that they have a hard time walking around without hitting one!

 

[CADplans]

It is easier to trap a squirrel than shoot one.

A bag of corn, and a HavaHart trap will catch EVERY one of them,,,

I have a couple neighbors that love squirrel gravy,
a couple years ago, I gave them a trap, and some whole kernel corn,,
my squirrel problem is G O N E !!

 

[tomplum]

I had a squirrel chew a fuel line too on my service truck. He left me a nut as his way of saying sorry. Dealer wanted 1200$ for the fuel line.... 100 years ago when I worked at a GM dealer, we had a 1 month old car come in on the hook for a no start. Mice liked the harness under the intake plenum. No warranty for you. When it happened a second time, he got serious about getting rid of the varmints.