Rodent damage!!

[drefaldwyn]

Just had my fuel tank replaced (by DSB Autocare, Bulwell, Nottm.).

Bit of history here .....

On 22nd Dec 2008 I was filling up at a filling station in Shrewsbury when one of the attendants who was working nearby said "do you know you've got fuel running out under your car?" WHAT!!!! I said and looked underneath - sure enough there was lots of liquid gold running down the forecourt.

"HELL!" I thought. What's happening!!!! The forecourt staff were brilliant and immediately started to throw buckets of sand over the spillage.

I made my apologies, paid for the fuel (including that which was running down the forecourt) and made my way to the local Skoda dealer - Furrows, who I'd used before for a service. They were brilliant, took my car into the workshop immediately and carried out an inspection .... verdict - "cant see where it's coming from but it's definitely from the very top of the tank and you'll be safe for your journey home to Notts". (No Charge!!).

On my return home (from the date you'll see that it was immediately prior to Christmas) I decided to wait until the end of the Festive Season and take the car into my preferred garage, DSB Autocare. Dave looked at the problem but concluded that it would require the tank to be removed in order to find the source of the trouble (he even went with me to the filling station to crawl underneath whilst I tanked up!).

Anyway, after a bit of delay, I finally managed to get the car back into DSB this week and the tank was removed ..... guess what!!!! the breather pipe on top of the tank (not any of the pipes coming from the sender unit area, which are easily visible when you remove the inspection cover under the rear seat squab but the one more towards the nearside of the vehicle, which also "breathes" towards the filler neck) had clearly been gnawed by a mouse (presumably).

New tank now fitted and many thanks to Dave and Sara at DSB (also Furrows of Shrewsbury) for sorting me out.

Dave (how do you fit a mouse trap under an Octy?)

[VWD]

Just had my fuel tank replaced (by DSB Autocare, Bulwell, Nottm.).

Bit of history here .....

On 22nd Dec 2008 I was filling up at a filling station in Shrewsbury when one of the attendants who was working nearby said "do you know you've got fuel running out under your car?" WHAT!!!! I said and looked underneath - sure enough there was lots of liquid gold running down the forecourt.

"HELL!" I thought. What's happening!!!! The forecourt staff were brilliant and immediately started to throw buckets of sand over the spillage.

I made my apologies, paid for the fuel (including that which was running down the forecourt) and made my way to the local Skoda dealer - Furrows, who I'd used before for a service. They were brilliant, took my car into the workshop immediately and carried out an inspection .... verdict - "cant see where it's coming from but it's definitely from the very top of the tank and you'll be safe for your journey home to Notts". (No Charge!!).

On my return home (from the date you'll see that it was immediately prior to Christmas) I decided to wait until the end of the Festive Season and take the car into my preferred garage, DSB Autocare. Dave looked at the problem but concluded that it would require the tank to be removed in order to find the source of the trouble (he even went with me to the filling station to crawl underneath whilst I tanked up!).

Anyway, after a bit of delay, I finally managed to get the car back into DSB this week and the tank was removed ..... guess what!!!! the breather pipe on top of the tank (not any of the pipes coming from the sender unit area, which are easily visible when you remove the inspection cover under the rear seat squab but the one more towards the nearside of the vehicle, which also "breathes" towards the filler neck) had clearly been gnawed by a mouse (presumably).

New tank now fitted and many thanks to Dave and Sara at DSB (also Furrows of Shrewsbury) for sorting me out.

Dave (how do you fit a mouse trap under an Octy?)

Cure might be a ball bearing mouse trap -meow :rofl:

[sebulbus]

Is your car not being used for extensive periods? I found rats and mice won't think of burrowing into a car's guts unless it was standing for some time.

[drefaldwyn]

"Is your car not being used for extensive periods? I found rats and mice won't think of burrowing into a car's guts unless it was standing for some time."

15k a year and used almost daily.

Dave

[Guest]

Is your car not being used for extensive periods? I found rats and mice won't think of burrowing into a car's guts unless it was standing for some time.

How does the rat/mouse know whether the car is being used or not? Surely it just stumbles across the car and thinks, urm, bit peckish, think I'll nibble on a bit of this car's petrol tank'.

[gadgetman]

I've seen a mouse that's knawed through a mains cable, with it's legs sticking out and very straight cable.

They love them in london, apparently.

[sms]

not heard before of rodents interfering with skodas, but hondas i have and a case on my vauxhall.

[drefaldwyn]

Thank goodness it's not just me then!..

Your replies are appreciated.

Dave

[Jules59]

They can certainly be a problem ...

A family of mice ate my wife's BMW 3series firwall insulation and made a nest behind the battery with it. She used it everyday too.

One year at our local school fete my discovery's alarm kept going off. I eventually went over a found a mouse sitting on the steering wheel washing its face and completely oblivious to all the spectators staring in.

But the worse was when I was driving the Disco down to London on the M42 when a rat suddenly crawled into my foot well -out from behind the dash - that was a shock.:eek:

I dont drive BMWs or Discoverys any more.

[Richf]

On a bike forum i used to frequent a bloke went to start his bike after a winter lay up and after turning over a few times , it exploded luckily the blast threw him out of the garage , the bike went up and then garage went up and then the house went up !!!

It was eventually traced (dunno how as there was little left ) to rodent damage on one of the fuel pipes

I live in the country and rats and mice are a real problem , every autumn we would end up with them in the house or garage , i have a "ring of steel" ie a large supply of poison bait boxes around the outside of the house , its been really bad in recent years due to mild winters , hopefully this year there will be a lot less

[moox]

i was driving to work a few years back in a passat, doing 60mph when suddenly a mouse appeared on the windscreen and was walking along my front wiper blades! puzzled the hell out of me. it didn't stay there long though and was blown off with the speed before i could pull in to let it off. looked under the bonnet when i got to work to find they had been feasting on the insulation. little blighters!

[drefaldwyn]

I don't believe it!!! (Victor Meldrew moment).

I've had exactly the same problem again! Identical to my original posting - filled up and guess what ..... fuel all over the forecourt. Only the second tankful since it was replaced.

Once again Dave and Sara at DSB Autocare have been brilliant. Dave couldn't believe it either but by using a mini camera we were able to see the damage without removing the tank - EXACTLY the same as before but the hole was not quite as large. Nonetheless the tank was US so Dave fitted another one for me today. This time, prior to fitting, I protected the area around the breather pipe in the top of the tank with aluminium mesh and Densotape (Sylglas) and Dave also put some waxoyl treated wire wool in some of the moulded in grooves on the top of the tank.

I can't praise Dave Bothwell highly enough for his help with this .... well above and beyond the call of duty!

I have no connection with DSB Autocare of Bulwell Nottm. other than being a very satisfied customer - Highly recommended!

Hopefully my next visit will just be for routine servicing and maintenance.

Dave

[sms]

lets hope it works!!

[dstev2000]

I don't believe it!!!

Once is bad enough but TWICE??? :eek:

Could be worse I suppose, an exposed and nicely nibbled wiring loom would be interesting to fix.

[gadgetman]

Time to get a cat

[skodakid]

Most likely a rat. Do you park anywhere near a farm or somewhere there is rubbish stored? In the winter, some rats like to climb into car engine bays etc to keep warm. They have a natural instict to knaw anything. Usually plastic/fabric/rubber - fuel pipes are common as is electrical wires/looms and air (pollen) filters (excellent bedding material) Once they learn your parking habits, they'll be a nuisance until warm weather comes or you kill them.

You may do well to inspect the car thoroughly, often wiring looms are chewed and could be fire hazard.

[drefaldwyn]

Yes, I do sometimes park near a farm/in the country. I am sure it's mouse damage 'cos I doubt that a rat could get into the very tight space above the tank.

Dave at DSB has closely inspected the underside of the car prior to fitting the tank (using a mini tv camera) and also "blown through" every available orifice with his air hose. No other damage is evident. The theory is that the mice like to snuggle into the small recess above the tank because the "leak back" fuel is hot and the heat rises to the highest part of the tank .... near the breather.

I'm now waiting, with a shotgun, for the vermin to reappear!

Dave

[auroan]

Who says it's anything knawing at the pipe. Could it not just be rubbing against something slowly creating the hole ?

[fireblade]

i pdi,d a new shape scirocco recently that had rodent damage in the engine bay!!!!! :eek:

[Browny]

Glad you have got it sorted, hope it (what ever it is) doesn't come back.

It must have been your fuel tank I spied in DSB the other day.

[pastiche]

The 240v hook up cable to our caravan was chewed in several places by a squirral / badger on our drive.

[sms]

my old astra had mice living in the air blower in the engine bay. the first i knew of it was when i could here the fins grinding. the smell of urine had been coming in and out for a while and persumed it was the air con fungi or similar and used tons of the air con cleaner spray.

When i opened up the blower unit there was tons of chewed up sainsburys and tesco's carrier bags and some shredded paper. Took 3 attempts to get rid of the smell taking all the air ducting out and using a antibacterial spray to clean the pipes and lots of kitchen towel. one thing it did eventually get rid of the smell and dirt that had built up on the pipes.

[skodakid]

Yes, I do sometimes park near a farm/in the country. I am sure it's mouse damage 'cos I doubt that a rat could get into the very tight space above the tank.

Dave

Even large rats can squeeze through gaps less than 1/2" - their skeletons are incredibly flexible.

[kynastonp]

this must be the reason for this item I found in a wiring loom diagram

http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/vermin-repellant-system/142169/