Well, I'll admit some fault to this and will be more diligent in the future but the truck has been in the shop for a checkup, safety, and new U joints on 2 different occasions so I will only take 95% of the blame.The 2008 F350 V10 has been my daily driver for the last few months while waiting for my new F150 and after selling my 4Runner.When towing I get the same mileage as anyone else! Not so much in stop and go traffic. 10 cylinders get thirsty...My gas mileage has been the same as ever but there just seemed to be a little lack of power off the line and when accelerating when towing...So in preparation for an upcoming big towing trip I was checking a bunch of stuff out and noticed some furry rodent (aka the squirrel my daughter loves to watch out the front window) decided to make a nice little home in my engine compartment. I vacuumed out all the pine cones I could find then thought, hmmm, maybe I should check the air filter before the trip.Whoa!!!The air intake before the filter was PACKED with pine cones, fluff and other nice little things that are soft and fluffy for a nice nest!!!!Little bugger!I removed the filter and there was easily a pound of seeds stuck in the pleats of the filter.... It's a holiday here so no luck getting a new filter. I'll go tomorrow and pick up a new one for the trip. The MAF and intake after the filter looks pristine and clean as a whistle.Glad I caught this before we went away. On a good note we found a dead squirrel under the tree in our front yard. Looks like a cat got it. Hope he suffered!! The squirrel, not the cat...

We have had spark plug wires eaten, wiring harness eaten and the inlet to different air cleaners plugged with nests.The air cleaner problem I have fixed in 2 different vehicles by putting some metal mesh in front of air inlet.Once I opened a hood up and found a rabbit on top of the motor.In one of our older trucks we had a mouse die in the vent system, If you turned on the fan for heat or air you couldn't stand the stink.I took the whole vent system apart to find him.

Yeah I never hunted squirrel till I found this. Just kidding about hunting, I learned to keep the barn door shut. Poor thing must have sh*t when I started it cause it got caught in something and was laying dead right where my curb side front tire sits. Thats when I opened the hood for a look see.

I dislike squirrels due to the damage they do. Rats in fur coats someone once said.My daughter's boyfriend had his Toyota written off, due to many wires chewed through, etc.What a waste of a good car, all because of squirrels.

So, here's my story. Had a 2006 Chevy Avalanche and still have a 2008 Chevy HHR. Took the kids to school in the Avalanche and noticed clouds of white smoke out the tailpipe. Took it to the dealer and the smoke was gone by then but it smelled bad. They couldn't find anything. Soon thereafter, we had issues with the HHR losing power going up hills. Took it to the dealer who took the air box off it and found 5 pounds of dog food stashed there by rodents. They still call it the "Dog Food Mobile" t the Chevy garage! Turns out that they stuffed the tailpipe up to the cat converter in the Avalanche and it caught the dog food on fire!

good outdoor cat that you feed a little every day or so it is hungry and they will get the squirrels for sure. over feed one and it justs watches the squirrels do their destruction.

A testament to the robustness of the Ford V10 platform

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Aug 05, 2015
When there used to be ignition wires, I have personally seen where some type of rodent ate through the wires and a fuel line! yep guess what happens when you go to start that mess!
carl2591
Explorer III
Aug 04, 2015
good outdoor cat that you feed a little every day or so it is hungry and they will get the squirrels for sure. over feed one and it justs watches the squirrels do their destruction.
greende
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2015
So, here's my story. Had a 2006 Chevy Avalanche and still have a 2008 Chevy HHR. Took the kids to school in the Avalanche and noticed clouds of white smoke out the tailpipe. Took it to the dealer and the smoke was gone by then but it smelled bad. They couldn't find anything. Soon thereafter, we had issues with the HHR losing power going up hills. Took it to the dealer who took the air box off it and found 5 pounds of dog food stashed there by rodents. They still call it the "Dog Food Mobile" t the Chevy garage! Turns out that they stuffed the tailpipe up to the cat converter in the Avalanche and it caught the dog food on fire!
Lessmore
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2015
I dislike squirrels due to the damage they do. Rats in fur coats someone once said.

My daughter's boyfriend had his Toyota written off, due to many wires chewed through, etc.

What a waste of a good car, all because of squirrels.
45Ricochet
Explorer
Aug 03, 2015
Yeah I never hunted squirrel till I found this.

Just kidding about hunting, I learned to keep the barn door shut.
Poor thing must have sh*t when I started it cause it got caught in something and was laying dead right where my curb side front tire sits. Thats when I opened the hood for a look see.
Farmerjon
Explorer
Aug 03, 2015
We have had spark plug wires eaten, wiring harness eaten and the inlet to different air cleaners plugged with nests.
The air cleaner problem I have fixed in 2 different vehicles by putting some metal mesh in front of air inlet.
Once I opened a hood up and found a rabbit on top of the motor.
In one of our older trucks we had a mouse die in the vent system, If you turned on the fan for heat or air you couldn't stand the stink.I took the whole vent system apart to find him.

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A testament to the robustness of the Ford V10 platform

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