How did Mice get into the glove box & fan? (1 Viewer)

[rScotty]

It's an old LX450 and we sure like it. We are LC forum people from way, way back. But after getting home from a month away, we found the glovebox and heater fan full of mouse nest . Looks like shredded brown cloth fiber insulation from somewhere in the car.

Darn, how did they get in? I figured that the incoming air would be screened mouseproof and so thought nothing of leaving the dash switch in the outside air position instead of recirculating the cab air. Maybe that was a mistake, because that open door above the heater fan became a mouse highway to the fan and glove box.

So what is the pathway for outside air into the cabin? I always thought it was the opening on the driver's side right in front of the windshield. That never worried me because it has an intact OEM screen under the wiper grill.. At least what I can see sure does look intact. Is there another route?

What am I missing about the incoming air path?

Thanks, rScotty

 

[on the rocks]

Check your steering shaft seal.

 

[NeverFinis]

They can get in via the torn steering shaft seal but I also believe they get in via the water run off channels on each side of the cowl. The air intake does not have a screen/filter over it and it is direct to the the blower below it.

Here is mine with a filter.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

They can get in via the torn steering shaft seal but I also believe they get in via the water run off channels on each side of the cowl. The air intake does not have a screen/filter over it and it is direct to the the blower below it.

Here is mine with a filter.

View attachment 3443488

Is this a custom made filter?

 

[60 toy ota]

Is this a custom made filter?

Yes.

 

[rScotty]

They can get in via the torn steering shaft seal but I also believe they get in via the water run off channels on each side of the cowl. The air intake does not have a screen/filter over it and it is direct to the the blower below it.

Here is mine with a filter.

View attachment 3443488

What? How did you get that Photo?? Where is it taken from?
I really want to fix this mouse problem. It could potentially dwarf any standard mechanical problems if we cannot find a cure.

On our LX450, looking down on the cowl from the outside .... looking between hood and windscreen I can see what looks like 1/4" stainless screen beneath the louvers or slots on the driver's side slots. It looks factory. On the passenger side louvers which are right above the heater blower there is nothing to see from outside below the louvers. In fact, it appears blanked off.

I wish that the cowling between hood and windshield could simply be taken off. That would make figuring out the mouse access simpler.

Will look at the steering shaft gasket today. Playing with some flashlights last night there also appears to be an access past the hood hinge. At least I can see light on the passenger side hinge with the hood open and the fan box illuminated.

Interesting fact: When I turn off the ignition, the outside air access closes automatically. I now think the auto close got caught on something and that created the easy passage .

More as I figure things out.
rScotty

 

[SWCruiser]

I had one enter through thr fresh air duct. I shut down the truck with the fresh air selected. I'm not sure if the flapper is suppose to close but it did not. I ended up putting a mesh screen over the fresh air intake and haven't had an issue since.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

Yes.

Details?

 

[rScotty]

I had one enter through thr fresh air duct. I shut down the truck with the fresh air selected. I'm not sure if the flapper is suppose to close but it did not. I ended up putting a mesh screen over the fresh air intake and haven't had an issue since.

Where is that fresh air intake that you screened?

 

[60 toy ota]

Details?

Not sure if this is what @NeverFinis has or not, but this is the only solution I'm aware of that's on the market

Cabin air filter

Cabin air filter for the 80 series Landcruiser or LX450. It was just confirmed that the mirrored version fits on the RHD 80 series! This is made with petg and foam. The hardware in included and assembled. This can be installed with out cutting, remove the cowl and plastic screens. If you have...

solvefunction.com

 

[Broski]

Not sure if this is what @NeverFinis has or not, but this is the only solution I'm aware of that's on the market

Cabin air filter

Cabin air filter for the 80 series Landcruiser or LX450. It was just confirmed that the mirrored version fits on the RHD 80 series! This is made with petg and foam. The hardware in included and assembled. This can be installed with out cutting, remove the cowl and plastic screens. If you have...

solvefunction.com

I want !!
the list never ends

 

[ikarus]

Yes that's a Solve Function cabin air filter. I thought it seemed sketchy that there's just a big open hole under the cowl leading into the cabin. You could cover it up with some sort of screen or mesh if you just wanted to keep mice out.

Here's my install on my build thread:

Builds - Ikarus' HDJ81 Offroad Build

How did you clear the IC piping of the indicator lights? I just cut the back out of mine since my JTX quad lights have an indicator, and intend to replace them once I find a shallow mount led indicator of some sort. I was just looking at that last night. They don't fit perfectly - on the...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[NeverFinis]

Not sure if this is what @NeverFinis has or not, but this is the only solution I'm aware of that's on the market

Cabin air filter

Cabin air filter for the 80 series Landcruiser or LX450. It was just confirmed that the mirrored version fits on the RHD 80 series! This is made with petg and foam. The hardware in included and assembled. This can be installed with out cutting, remove the cowl and plastic screens. If you have...

solvefunction.com

Yes, I have the @Outsane cabin filter to stop mice intrusion. I would make the web pattern top piece a little tighter grid to prevent the little assholes from eating through the foam. I would also add metal mesh as well.

What? How did you get that Photo?? Where is it taken from?
I really want to fix this mouse problem. It could potentially dwarf any standard mechanical problems if we cannot find a cure.

The photo taken from underneath the passenger side of the cowl, looking from the center of the cowl towards the passenger side fender.

This photo shows the cowl hole from below. It connects to the blower of the HVAC.

Here is partial view of the top, before the cabin filter was install. Hard to take a good photo of it.

 

[Outsane]

I can make a version with a metal top...

 

[mudgudgeon]

I can make a version with a metal top...

Recieved mine this past week.

It looks like it would be super easy to take the two pieces apart and insert a piece of birdwire under the foam.

 

[Rifleman]

If you park, or live close to mother nature (The Woods) you're going to have problems like mice, In my case i live very close to mother nature and my BIG PROBLEM is not so much mice, but dam SQUIRRELS!!!! They like to climb up under my hood, and in a VERY SHORT amount of time can make a huge nest, they like to make meals out of the insulation on any wiring harness they can sink their teeth into, and they also like to pee and poop EVERYWHERE!!! Not my idea of a good house guest

 

[NorCalFJ100]

I can make a version with a metal top...

Hey I literally just bought one of these from you. What does the metal option entail? Any idea of this has a noticeable affect on airflow into the cabin?

 

[Outsane]

No big change in air flow harder for rodents to get through. I haven't made them yet

 

[rScotty]

Check your steering shaft seal.
View attachment 3443478

Well, I said I'd post when it was fixed and it's far enough along for an update. Cleaned chewed insulation out of glovebox, heater fan, and heater radiator then used a borescope and mirrors to see where the mice were getting in. I now believe that they DID NOT come in through the windshield wiper cowl or any of those crud filters in that cowling. I think they gained access past the steering shaft seal shown above. My steering shaft seal is completely worn out with plenty of space for a mouse to enter the cabin.

However, once inside you can see how the critters can travel to more places under the dash if the air flap control is left on the outside air setting rather than on cabin air. Especially if the air flap happen to jam when closing on a fat lazy mouse.....

I wrote earlier thought that the air control flap defaulted to the cabin air setting when the key was turned off - but with the mouse body out I can't get that test to repeat consistently & now am thinking the flap just stays in the last position until changed by the dash control.

The new steering seal arrived yesterday & I'm wondering if I can install it easly by taking the rag joint apart in the driver's seat area?? I'm not up for crawling under the car and disconnecting things.

Thanks,
rScotty

FJ80 & LX450

 

[effjay80]

Steering shaft seal replacement

since i still don't have a garage to work out of i find all the little things that can be fixed cheaply an easily. did this to my 80 series a while ago so it was one of the first things i looked at when i was cleaning things up.

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