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Desert Critters: Pack Rats Will Nest In Your Car's Engine!

By
Mortgage and Lending with SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) NMLS 223495

My friend and mechanic Jim, from Auto World of Tucson, displays the pack rat that did the damage.We denizens of the southwest often refer to ourselves as "Desert Rats."  I didn't think much about that until this week, when I had to park my Explorer down the street because our homeowners association was resurfacing our streets.

The next morning I walked down to my car (parked next to an unimproved lot opening on to the desert,) opened the door, and turned the key.

Thump!  Rattle!  Shake!  It seemed like the entire dashboard was vibrating.  I turned off the AC, and the vibration stopped.  Not good.

I rolled down the windows and went to my first appointment.

It turned out that a pack rat had decided to nest in my engine.  Somehow, it had made its way into the duct work of the heater/air conditioner.

It had gotten trapped in the "squirrel cage," the air handler that moves the air.  When I turned on the car, his goose was cooked.

24 hours elapsed before I could get to my friend, mechanic, and client Jim Canifax of Auto World of Tucson.

Jim's concern, as he took apart the motor and air handler under the dash, was "What sort of critter is trapped in there?"

He's removed live snakes from similar situations.  Rattlesnakes!

Fortunately, this was just one dead pack rat.  And oowwh, did it stink!

Auto World of Tucson

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2411 W Wetmore Rd
Tucson, AZ 85705-2018
(520) 888-3520
Get directions

___________________

I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.
Mike Jones (Tucson Mortgage Company, LLC): Loan Officer in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE
Call me
if I can help you or someone you know
with a purchase or refi mortgage.
(520) 349-9090

Comments(24)

Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes

We see fleets of trucks here with the hoods left open -- guess the owners seem to think an open hood won't encourage them to next.. not sure.

Oct 03, 2009 05:28 AM
Mike Jaquish
Realty Arts - Cary, NC
919-880-2769 Cary, NC, Real Estate

Laughing too hard to comment...

Oct 03, 2009 05:45 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Yuck!  Just want I want to see on a gorgeous Saturday am!  Dead pack rat - you take the cake Mike.  Too funny.  Hope it didn't screw up your car too much.  Back in MN cats used to do the same thing in the winter - again yuck.

Oct 03, 2009 05:58 AM
Sharon & Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette, IN - Lafayette, IN
West Lafayette homes for sale

What a surprise!  Your mechanic looks like he means business.  I would be serious too, if I had encountered rattlesnakes under the hood.  Great story, Mike.

Oct 03, 2009 06:52 AM
Karen Cooper
Karen Cooper | Sr Mortgage Loan Originator ! NMLS # 223305 | First Federal Bank of Florida, Ocala, FL - The Villages, FL
Helping Homeowners w/Home Loans in 27 US States

I'm with Mike J... that's a funny tail - I mean tale. ;-)

Oct 03, 2009 09:01 AM
Melinda (Mel) Peterson
Grants Pass, OR - Bend, OR
The Savvy Broker - ABR, CRS

Oh rats, not sure I like the sound of that!

Oct 03, 2009 10:42 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Well that is just disgusting.  So glad it was your car and not mine.  You would have heard the screaming from NH if I found that guy!

Oct 03, 2009 11:41 AM
Larry Brewer - Benchmark Realty llc
Benchmark Realty LLc - Nashville, TN

I've never seen this, but I have had cats climb into my engine bay on cold nights. All were smart enough to leave before geting caught in the belts. Thank god.

Oct 03, 2009 01:36 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Mike

Takes not a great early morning experience.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Oct 03, 2009 02:27 PM
Terry & Bonnie Westbrook
Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner - Grand Rapids, MI
Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re

We get a lot of squirrels in our are that like to pack nuts in for the winter and sometime they get caught not fun to have to get them removed.

Oct 03, 2009 04:35 PM
Gabrielle Kamahele Rhind
KGC Properties LLC, Tucson Property Management & Real Estate - Tucson, AZ
Broker/Owner

GOOD MORNING MIKE!  They've been out in "packs" this year it seems! I've smelled that smell too - leave your hood up and have a terrific Sunday -- Gab

Oct 03, 2009 11:14 PM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Thank goodness that we do not have rats here in TN...

Helping you help others live their American dream...

Oct 03, 2009 11:26 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Wow! I'm glad that was not my car! I would probably never get in it again! You would have heard me screaming in AZ! I hate snakes of any kind and rats for sure!!!

Oct 04, 2009 01:56 AM
Doreen McPherson
Homesmart ~ Scottsdale ~ Tempe - Tempe, AZ
Phoenix Arizona Real Estate ~

Yikes!  I had a cat get under the hood of my car years ago.  I didn't know it was there and was driving to work on Orange Grove road.  I heard a bunch of 'screaming' and a couple of loud thunks and looked in the rear-view mirror and saw it rolling in the road.  I was going 50 mph by then.  Freaked me out! 

Oct 04, 2009 03:28 AM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Dang!  Thanks, all!

I sure got behind on commenting back on this post, and it's the middle of the night, so I'm not going to try.  I'll see you all on your blogs.

Mike in Tucson

Oct 04, 2009 10:10 PM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Mike, yikes rats in the cars and even rattlesnakes...no thanks.

Oct 05, 2009 12:54 AM
Simon Smart
Sunstreet Mortgage, Arizona - Tucson, AZ

Hey Mike,

I found droppings in the ductwork at my house a couple of days ago, so put down a couple of mousetraps last nights. This morning...no mousetraps. I guess I have a pack rat, and he stole them.

I need a bigger trap. ;-)

Simon

Oct 23, 2009 04:28 AM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Simon,

That's too funny!  LOL!

Rebecca,

What kind of critters do you have in West Virginia?  :)

Mike in Tucson

Oct 23, 2009 04:35 AM
Anonymous
Rick Suddes

Spray Rataway Fragrance to stop rodents from doing damage to car engines ,etc...

Ratawy Fragrance is non-toxic & non poisonous! safe around pets & children

Aug 09, 2010 04:11 PM
#24
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Rick,

How can we buy Rataway?

Mike in Tucson

Jan 27, 2011 10:13 AM