Winterization with New DMCH Pump/Sender Combo - Full or Empty Tank?

[micmak]

Personally I am not a fan of putting a cover on the car in Winter. It depends on your own situation, I guess. Because I live out in the country, I get a lot of mice coming in from the fields and making several homes in my workshop for the Winter. I use tons of mothballs around and under the cars and bounce sheets too, but the mice still pose a problem. But I have found that when the cover is on the car for months on end, the mice get under the cover and build a nest on the car! This can really cause a problem with stains on the SS panels. Its even worse on a painted car. As Dave says, all you have to face by not using your cover is dust. Dust won't hurt the car. You can wash it off in the Spring without any problem.

……Mike……


BTW, anyone got any tips on keeping mice away from cars in Winter? I have tried all sorts of things over the years and although I will catch a few dozen every Winter, between snap traps, live traps and poisons, they still invade my space every Winter and pose a problem.

[DMCMW Dave]

... and bounce sheets too, but the mice still pose a problem. ..

We got a car in a few months ago with Bounce sheets all over the inside. One had a mouse wrapped up in it. He was apparently thankful for all the blankets someone left him.

[davidc89]

BTW, anyone got any tips on keeping mice away from cars in Winter? I have tried all sorts of things over the years and although I will catch a few dozen every Winter, between snap traps, live traps and poisons, they still invade my space every Winter and pose a problem.

Get a cat

[David T]

We got a car in a few months ago with Bounce sheets all over the inside. One had a mouse wrapped up in it. He was apparently thankful for all the blankets someone left him.

The best solution so far is to place mothballs under the car all over. Don't put them in the car or you will never get rid of the smell. The very best solution is to try to seal the garage up tight enough so they can't get near the car in the first place but that is not always possible, especially in a very old garage. Their bones are flexible enough so mice can get through very small openings. I still prefer a cover to keep the car from getting scratched up but you should not pile things on the car. Before you know it you can add a LOT of weight and damage the car. If the stuff falls over it can break the windshield or dent the hood. I always check out the bag for the jack. Mice seem to go for that first. Must be tasty.

[micmak]

Get a cat

I tried that David. I had a cat in the workshop, never in the house. I used to say it was a working animal not a pet! But the darned thing used to climb up on the cars. That normally wouldn’t be a problem aside from whatever dirt she would bring up there, but this cat couldn’t get up onto the cars without scratching and scraping her way up. She used to leave scratch marks on the panels and on the painted surfaces of my other car. After about 2 months of this, and zero mice caught, I gave her away. The only good thing about her was the name I gave her: Cat Benetar.

......Mike......

[davidc89]

I tried that David. I had a cat in the workshop, never in the house. I used to say it was a working animal not a pet! But the darned thing used to climb up on the cars. That normally wouldn’t be a problem aside from whatever dirt she would bring up there, but this cat couldn’t get up onto the cars without scratching and scraping her way up. She used to leave scratch marks on the panels and on the painted surfaces of my other car. After about 2 months of this, and zero mice caught, I gave her away. The only good thing about her was the name I gave her: Cat Benetar.

......Mike......

Hahaha Cat Benetar is awesome! My cat had always been good at catching mice, but they like to climb... I've also had good luck with the five gallon bucket with antifreeze style trap. Don't know if you've tried that yet.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Hahaha Cat Benetar is awesome! My cat had always been good at catching mice, but they like to climb... I've also had good luck with the five gallon bucket with antifreeze style trap. Don't know if you've tried that yet.

But the cat would drink the antifreeze so the mice would win.

[DTOUR]

Get a bottle of Peppermint Essential Oil (Amazon sells it) and a bag of cotton balls.
Put some of this oil on the cotton balls and throw the balls in to the cockpit, engine bay and trunk areas. Since the car is basically "in storage" these areas will not get much exchange of fresh air, so the peppermint "fragrance" will linger thru storage. It dissipates quickly in the spring when opening the car up again. Mice hate peppermint!

Putting some soaked cotton balls near the doors of the storage building also helps prevent intrusion of the critters in to the building/garage as well. Peppermint is nowhere near as offensive as the smell of moth balls. We have been doing this now for a couple years, and yes, it really does work! Mice really do hate the smell of Peppermint!

[ILM1010]

Dave! I live 10 min from you......I get my gas level as low as possible with some stabile added


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[DavidProehl]

Dave! I live 10 min from you......I get my gas level as low as possible with some stabile added


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Yes, that is the plan! Did that before too, just had to confirm the new pump setup didn't change it.