Rats on my Hemi!!

[MAGNUM8R]

My Magnum R/T is at the Dealer for Spark Plug replacement at 34K miles.
They just called to inform me that one of the plug wires is chewed trough by a rat!! They found some droppings in there also. Probably why my horn no longer works also!! The wire is to one of the secondary (exhaust) plugs so it will run OK when I wait for the replacment wire ($22.00 for 1 wire!!)

Turns out my nieghbor finally cleaned his rat infested garage and the displaced rodents made it over to my garage!!

Anyone know if fabric softner sheets are actually effective in keeping rats out of confined spaces. My Great Dane has killed one of the little varmints, I may have to get a new cat, we lost our big boy about 6 months ago to old age, he was a master hunter!!

RATS!! Man, I'm bummed!!

[vvv90]

POISON and lots of it!!! Just keep any animals you have out of the garage.

[MoparStore]

Use a piece of slim jim on a rat trap.

If the trap doesnt kill them, the slim jim will..

[Mad Magnum]

I have used fabric softener in my motorhome effectively but moth balls with naptha work like nothing else. I would rather keep the critters away instead of killing them where I can't easily reach them.

Dave
'05 RT

[SoCal_Magnum]

ok, that is disgusting...I would have to go over and "have a talk" with your neighbor man

[Hemi31]

I use the fabric sheets inside the car,I don't know about under the hood though.

[northeastern08]

Thankfully Ive never had to deal with this...not many rats here on Long Island...or at least where I live on the island

In Boston there are plenty, but Im on the 13th floor there, so not much of a problem :wink:

[bipto]

Can't blame the rats though - must be nice & warm on the Hemi... :wink:

[DawsonMagnum]

It's all fun and games until someone turns over the ignition while the big wharf rat is still sitting on top of the radiator fan.

This happened to my dad's old dodge back in the mid 70's. The engine bay was soaked with blood and there were lots of little rat chunks on the ground underneath the car. I'm sure a few chunks were wedged into some not-so-easy-to-reach places.

[bipto]

...I'm sure a few chunks were wedged into some not-so-easy-to-reach places.
LOL - and undoubtedly remained there baking for the life of the car!

As my daughter so eloquently puts it - EEEeeeewwww!!! :lol:

[MAGNUM8R]

Got some rat advice from my pest control Co. I am on a rat patrol when I get home from work!!
Meantime, picked up the Magnum R/T at the Dealer, actually quite happy with the service.
Rio Rancho Dodge Pomona, CA. Service Advisor: Jason Bauman
Detail of work performed:
Replaced 16 Spark Plugs, checked timing, idle

R/R all 4 wheels for a brake inspection per my request. Result is 6/32" pad on fronts and 7/32" pad on rears remaining.

Enabled DRL's

Performed software reflash/reprogram controller with latest software.

Discovered the rat chewed sparkplug wire and ordered a new one. (cost $21.95) Secondary plug (exhaust side) Car runs fine for now.

Ordered new horn (Warranty)

Lubricated all busings in the suspension Front and rear.

Discovered cause of noise when making a hard left turn: Gibson header bolt hitting frame. I hope to have this corrected when Gibson install the cat back as early as next week and replace the development headers with a production set.
Total cost parts/ Labor: $325.33
The original quote was $305 for just the plugs (Tune Up)

Needless to say, I am pleased with the work and feel I got a decent deal for the work performed OH,they washed her up pretty nice too!!

:pepper:

[boggart]

$300 to replace plugs???? Are they in some magical hard to reach spot requiring pulling the engine or something?

[iRock]

Is there any dog food handy? Don't let this happen to you. (http://teatrorockhell.blogspot.com/2005/10/signs-winter-is-coming.html)

[Magne300Csium]

I had a rat problem as well. Ate through part of a wiring harness and triggered a CEL.

[COLORADOMAGNUM]

I run the parts department at a Denver area import dealer and we get about 3-4 cars per year with rodent damage. Usually when the weather starts getting cold. Friggin' vermin chew through wires and can build a nest inside the heater box. We've seen more than one car come in with problems like IRock linked to in her post. It's friggin' disgusting.

[BlackCharger06]

When I was working in woburn mass, I parked my car near a wildlife area. It rained really hard, and it was my first day so nobody knew that it was my car. RIght when we were ready to shoot the 7pm show one of the girls said oh look at the car, i;ve seen a rat go in and out of it all day. THe parking Lot was floooded and the mother rat needed a nice warm place to give birth. WHat better place then my engine.
I tried to start it and couldn't. I poped the hood and she had bitten threw my wireharness and there were now 12 or so little rats next to my airbox. Well one of camera opperators took them off with his hands, which was kinda crazy then we went and shot the show.
When I went back to my car, the rats will all back where i found them. Well I wasn't going to touch them again, and when the AAA guy showed up to tow me home, he almost ran back in his truck when he saw what happend. Luckly the harness was fixable, but what was real funny, was that the rat had bitten the rubber insilation off of the fuse for my stero system. Ah well that is my rat story.

[hemiuberalles]

I thought Chevy had the rat motor.

[OA-5599]

Solution:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v435/theweeb/zeuscloseupsm.jpg

[MAGNUM8R]

$300 to replace plugs???? Are they in some magical hard to reach spot requiring pulling the engine or something?
Get a quote from your Dealer, I would like to see what they say.
The R/T plugs are supposed to be replaced at 30K miles. I asked for my plugs and they look fine, a darn HUGE gap they run though.
They spent at least an hour on the Starscan alone and enabled the DRLS also. Everything was checked out and just waiting on the new Plug Wire that was included in what I paid.
I had a few other issues I wanted documented and checked out before the 36K Mile part of my warranty was gone, I have 34.8K as of today.
For what I paid, the Tech spent about 3.5 hours on the car, parts were included, let me know what you find, a quick call to your freindly Service Advisor may surprise you!!

[RobAGD]

.22 shorts and a coke bottle :)

-R

[BrilliantBlackHemi]

yeah, digging the homemade budget silencer. :)

[magnum lover]

I'll send you a nice cat. She has been declawed (front paws) and fixed. Stays inside in the winter but goes outside when the weather is okay. I know she can hunt due to the snakes, birds, moles and field mice I find on the patio. She likes to play with frogs too. No rat problem here.

[MAGNUM8R]

I'll send you a nice cat. She has been declawed (front paws) and fixed. Stays inside in the winter but goes outside when the weather is okay. I know she can hunt due to the snakes, birds, moles and field mice I find on the patio. She likes to play with frogs too. No rat problem here.
I miss having a cat, we lost a big orange guy named Smitty, he was the best mouser, etc. I have ever seen. Basically if it moves and it's smaller than him, it's cat food!! Took down a full size rabbit once.
I'd love to have another like him, just not sure how my Dane would react, as you can see, she loves her kittys!!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y238/saildoggie/trinbigmeankitty4.jpg