ewong

So how DOES one get the smell of the piss out?

Yota Tony

I used some industrial aerosol stuff.
Also some stuff I bought at a parts store.

2WDoffroadx

Slap some mouse traps in there. Then we'll see if those little f_ _ _ers make a home in there.

ewong

Thanks Yota Tony.

I originally thought that the metal mesh "grilles" visible in the slats in the cowl would keem them out.

After a closer look - those are to keep LEAVES out - there are open slats to the sides.

Next I'll pull the cowl off and see if I can block off the holes with some metal mosquito screen that I have. (I did this mod to my MKII VW) - works great.

And I was thinking that maybe a cabin filter could be fitted to the intake?

----

Just got back in from outside after hosing the front off and spraying water into the cowl vents... seems to be much nicer now..

4RunnerSally

Mine was back in today for an oil change and my mechanic pulled out the blower and vacuumed everything out as best he could and used some enzyme cleaner to clean it out. It still smelled pretty rank when I picked it up, but it got better on the 15-mile drive home. Then again, it usually smells better after I get it going and put the back window down.

I was told it might help to replace the parts where they were living, but that seems a bit extreme. No mice parts were found, but it has smelled like dead things since I got it back.

We have five 4Runners that park at the same place each night. I hope they don't move into another car since mine now has the mesh under the intakes in the cowl vents. I can see it happening one by one to each of the cars.

ewong

You didnt clean it out yourself did ya

I did mine - eeew.. Hanto Virus?

Anyway, in my case I had flipped the air vent to RECIRC when ti was parked.

Thus the mice were unable to enter the actual fan "cage".
But they still were able to pack the hole ABOVE the fan with a ton of "warm fuzzy nesting stuff" (horse hair as far as I can tell).

Their livingin this nest and their pee RUSTED the flapper door. It doenst work quite right at this juncture.

Im getting the parts for it from someone. Dunno how motivated I'll be to install it tho.

I pulled all the hair and poop and stuff out. Then shop vac'd it. Used my hands and a plastic scraper to scrape off the baked on poo.

Then put the fan in the sink (not immersed) and used a brush and hot water and simple green and cleaned the blades off as well as the dried out pee stains.

Then sprayed the heck out of the fan box with Febreze.

I still need to add the screening to the vent entrance...

dsmbuddy

They make a foaming kinda spray to spray into vents to deodorize them. Got the smell of cigs AND mouse piss outta my truck, i forget whats its called but most auto stores should have it

4RocRunner92

this is hillarious

nick-m

I'm pretty sure that's frigi-fresh you're talking about and I think, also, you need to inject that stuff directly into the evaporator by drilling a hole in the side or similar.

4RunnerSally

My car has the little button to change between recirculating air and outside air (2001), so I honestly don't know if it stays on what I put it on when I turn off the engine and park it. I'll try to keep it on recirculating and see if it helps.

No, I didn't clean it myself.

jrallan26

Question:

Is it best to keep it on "recirc" all the time?

misterzee

I discovered the automotive version of FeBreeze works quite well, actually the "house" version at Advance Auto. I had a 4runner that was all smoky from the prev owner, and spent $$ at the detail shop getting it shampoo'd, and that still did not get the stink out. Three consectuve soakings with this stuff over a week's period took care of 90% of the problem.

alotawatts

This little guy liked German cars:

ewong

Its a BIGGER problem the get inside...

Oh --- on the 85-88 ear models - how does one block off the blower intake?

The "scoop" is burried under the cowl in the wiper relay rod box and impossible to see. I tried to wrap metal screen over the intake, but I cant get a band clamp on it. I tried leaving it sit over the cubby and the relay rods "ate" up the screen as the motor cycled...

I eve cut a hole in the cowl to take a loolk see at the mess...

JFitz

Hi, found this post on a search about fan noise. I pulled my blower out and found a mouse nest of yellow fiberglass insulation. Not quite as full as in the picture in the original post, but enough to cause a vibration.

I checked the air inlets on the cowl where other posts said to put screen. Mine has screen in it that appears to be from the factory.

Where else could these critters get in? My Runner is not rusty (even underneath), so there shouldn't be any rust holes. Thanks for any help.

ewong

the OWM screens dont keep the mice out...

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...l-area-116256/

There's a passage up in the fender well...

JFitz

Thanks ewong, so you pushed screen upward into the passage between the fan and the "scoop" at the top, right? Does that same passage go down below the fan to bring air from below?

Would this be the same on a '99?