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Old 02-07-2021, 02:00 PM   #1
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: So Cal high desert
Posts: 147
Year: 1963
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: HPO
Engine: Cummins 220
Rated Cap: 1
Of mice, men, and shuttle buses

Hey all, update on my 2003 E450 Champion shuttle bus. The bus has been sitting for over a year now at its current parking spot in the So Cal high desert and as you can imagine, mice moved into the engine compartment. Due to COVID restrictions the bus was not available to me for the last few months until yesterday when I got the chance to get to it for some cleaning and evaluation. In short, the engine and engine bay is full of mice droppings and all the stuff laying around the ground they wanted to bring into the engine bay.
Out of an abundance of caution I pulled the air cleaner housing and removed Mortimers storage stash. Fortunately it appears the mouse(s) never made it further past the air cleaner, which they did nibble on, into the intake tract so I am confident the engine is internally clean.
Anyway pictuers are worth thousands of words so you can see what happens when mice get into vehicles parked for long periods of time without being moved or driven, and I do have wiring and vacuum hose damage to find and fix after cleaning is finished. Oh the joys!
EDIT: forgot to mention for those that are wondering and can't see the badge on the fender this is a Ford V10 (6.8 Liter) engine. I have this same engine in my 2000 F250 and I like them a lot. Not fantastic mileage but they are reliable and get the job done.
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Old 02-07-2021, 02:07 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
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Year: 1935
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Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
Check all the wiring. Rats chewed the insulation off the wiring to the alternator on my Ford 4.6 resulting in a fried alt. Jack
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Old 02-07-2021, 02:26 PM   #3
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: So Cal high desert
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Year: 1963
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: HPO
Engine: Cummins 220
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
Check all the wiring. Rats chewed the insulation off the wiring to the alternator on my Ford 4.6 resulting in a fried alt. Jack
Thats the plan, and there is visible damage on wiring and vacuum lines. The day I took these pics I forgot the keys to the bus so I could not pull the doghouse but next cleaning and inspection session I will.
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Old 02-28-2021, 11:07 PM   #4
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: So Cal high desert
Posts: 147
Year: 1963
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: HPO
Engine: Cummins 220
Rated Cap: 1
2003 E450 shuttle

Well got more cleaning done this past weekend. I remembered the KEYS and this time got inside the bus to pull the doghouse. Lots of mouse poop and fluff on top of the engine. This is the Ford 6.8 V10.

Pictures tell the story! Vacuum with the shop vac until the hose clogs, then clear hose. Rinse. Repeat.
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Old 05-08-2022, 10:54 PM   #5
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: So Cal high desert
Posts: 147
Year: 1963
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: HPO
Engine: Cummins 220
Rated Cap: 1
I am still around even if nobody is asking . I have more projects in the mix besides this bus so the money and time goes faster than just one project.

Its been over a year and this shuttle still sits where it was parked in the photos. I need to move it soon, the property owner is getting impatient. I have secured storage in another location but now the issue will be getting a big enough tow truck onto the owners property to move my bus.

Also the bus is currently loaded up with moth balls in an attempt to keep the mice out. Little bastards keep comming back to visit the bus when I am not around, which is almost anytime they want.

Not giving up but no progress either. UFO Pilot is not going dark!
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