Mouse motor check it out
 

Not sure if pic attached but this is what I saw when I took the intake off.

Re: Mouse motor check it out
 

That family of mice actually got to live inside a flathead v8. Hell yeah, how cool is that. I bet they threw some of the best parties.

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That family of mice must have had a coating of sludge from nose to tail. I bet they could have squeezed through a 1/4" crack.....

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How lucky? Seats just a few feet away with lovely nesting material. A draft-free place to hole up for winter!

Frank, How bad is the piss/rust problem? And are you trying to use this lump for something involving reliability?

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There was a 48 Merc with no air cleaner. A mouse crawled down the carb ,through an open valve, and made a nest in the cylinder

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I have two that were almost like that--valve train stuck on both. One has been soaking in used diesel oil for three or four years as I haven't had time to work on it, the other is sitting on the pallet racking in my shop waiting for the soak treatment. I have a big oven that came out of a bakery and have thought about baking it to see if that would break stuff loose, but would have to do it in warm weather as the stink would be unbearable!! Maybe have a herd of cats outside the shop!!!! Rod

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It's a constant war against the critters.

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As my old Uncle RK would say "I hate those Sonszabitches" . . .

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I have an engine I had baked and cleaned and the little basters built nests in the water jackets.it was amazing how much was in there including nuts.

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We have pack rats in the high desert. You would be amazed at what they can carry away. They use jumping cactus mixed with upholstery padding to make their nests that discourages digging thru the nest looking for your missing parts. Needle nose pliers are your best tool for removing. They make a mess every where, and are impossible to keep out.
Bruce

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Any of you witnessed mufflers packed with all that stuff? I have on a few old cars. I seal the tail pipes on all my cars placed in storage.

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I bought an engine that would only turn about 45 degrees either way, assumed it was a stuck valve(s). Nope, packrats had dropped acorns down in the timing cover.

I get that it's a safe, enclosed spot, but the stench must have been awful, and they must have been coated with sludge.

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I had a friend that had a 1915 Studebaker, we took out the back seat and there must have been 300 Black Walnuts under the seat. That Squirrel is probably still looking for them.

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I tore apart a free 8BA. The truck oil pan was full of mouse nest. Bead blasted it in hopes of painting and selling it. Mouse pee caused much rust. After blasting it resembled a screen door. Rod nuts were so corroded they wouldn't hold a socket. Block was cracked so i tossed the whole thing.

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I actually know someone in Maine that had mice go in through the tail pipe and actually made it past an open exhaust valve, then made a nest. When he went to start the car in the spring, the nest didn't compress so well, and caused enough block damage to need to be replaced. I saw photos of the cylinder wall cracked. The hardest part to believe is that his insurance co. actually covered the damage.


Sal

Re: Mouse motor check it out
 

Here's my version of mouse motor! The mouse wasn't so lucky this time. I found this when I removed the head.

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Duece, apart from the rodent, I like the look of your motor...big inlet valves, relieved, etc

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When I restored my 1929 Whippet motor, the mice had gotten into it via the exhaust pipe. All that mouse pee corroded the exhaust valves so that most of the valve stem necks were rusted right through. Interestingly the cast iron valve seats were undamaged.

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Brian, yes the mouse wasn't the only surprise I got! I thought I was tearing down a stock 59ab. Nice surprise to find it was 3 5/16 bore along with adjustable johnsons. Would be interesting to know how it made it into a stock 46 ambulance all painted up like a stocker! :D