Ahhhh... Rats!

[SSLtech]

Security guard here at work just came to me complaining that his car ( a 1996 Jetta) wont run for more than 10 seconds at the most... been like that since he left it parked here at work during the hurricane.

I checked the ignition switch for intermittent live contact (favourite on that model) and took a look under the hood.

I pulled out half a tree's worth of twigs & small branches from the left saide of the engine bay, behind the airbox... "Funny..." I thought, "No easy way for them to find there way in there, can't be causing the problem though... no moving parts in that part of the engine bay..."

Then I saw it... -a chewed-through wiring loom coming from the mass airflow sensor. Rat tooth-marks everywhere. They've completely removed all traces of wire from the sensor connection. I'm about to set off scouring the parking lot for another similar-vintage Jetta or Golf 2-litre, to find out the colour-sequence.

Rats!!!

:green:

Keef

 

[Guest]

http://volkswagen.msk.ru/index.php?p=page09
All the wiring diagrams for VWs you will ever need

 

[Gus]

Keith

I would wear gloves and a mask. Rodent droppings can have some nasty stuff in it. IIRC the Hanta(sp) virus can go airborn if the droppings are moved.

Funny you should mention car wires. I was just looking at the wires to the high side air condtioner sensor in my Saturn. The PVC looks like it dried up and started to crack off the wires. It does not look like teeth marks or heat. Has anyone seen this before?

 

[frob]

yea i bot an RX7 first gen from my buddy up in the hills and got it started the engine warmed up and we where like what is that smell? apperantly rats where liveing in the radiator and tail pipes for some time.

 

[Mbira]

As far as I know, Hanta Virus only comes from droppings from the Deer Mouse. From here in New Mexico. That's why it's only killed people around here. Not to say I'd be wanting to know what's in rat droppings...

Joel

 

[SSLtech]

[quote author="uk03878"]http://volkswagen.msk.ru/index.php?p=page09
All the wiring diagrams for VWs you will ever need[/quote]
Excellent site! -I'll have me mum translate it for me, one day...! :green:

Keef