New to me won't run

Indian Gary

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Nov 19, 2019
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13
Mystery solved. I have a rodent problem in my shop and some little varment decided it liked the wiring to the acceleration control module. I didn't see it until taking the airbox off today. I made a temporary jumper and the bike started after a few moments of clearing extra fuel. I have made a proper splice and am about to check for codes tomorrow then go for a ride.
Thanks for the help. I thought it must be something quirky. Now to try to kill the rats. They have gotten my bike, my wife's car, and my racing leathers in the past few weeks. I've caught 8 so far this fall.
 

Tenman

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Dec 7, 2013
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Natchez Ms USA
I had a coill wire chewed off my new truck. Lifted the hood and had cat tracks all over it. Took it to the dealership and the mechanic showed me another vehicle with some big harnesses chewed up. Cat tracks all over it too.
 

Sierra1

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I'm guessing that the cats were in there after the mice/rats. I've never HEARD of cats eating wiring harnesses....but anything is possible I suppose. Also, don't count out squirrels for eating wiring harnesses either; they got my 6 month Jeep that was driven daily. I'm currently going through 6 bags of rat poison....per week. I live beside a huge open pasture with a creek.
 

Tenman

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I had a lifetime trucker tell me they are making the insulation on wires that is different now. It's supposed to be tempting to cats. .He's had cats eat some of his wiring too. I was raised around farms with all kinds of equipment. We had rats eat up a bunch of stuff. My damn cat turned his nose up at canned cat food.
 

Indian Gary

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Nov 19, 2019
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I have the coat hanger and bucket set up but will try the soda cans as an addition. I called my insurance agent and he denied coverage due to rodents. It is in the "fine print" he said. I think I will try the flour and plaster as that is cheap and it won't kill other animals looking for the sick rats.
Thanks
 

Sierra1

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Fennellg is absolutely correct about switching companies, and all new vehicles having soy based insulation; better for the environment. Indian Gary may not have comp. When the squirrels ate the main wiring harness on the Jeep, my company didn't blink an eye....$1,800.00, minus my $50.00 deductible. Oh, and that's another thing. Check y'alls individual companies. Dropping my comp deductible from $500.00, down to $50.00, raised my premium by a whole $12.00 per year. At least for cars. The collision deductible is NOT the same.
 

Cycledude

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Rib lake wi
I have the coat hanger and bucket set up but will try the soda cans as an addition. I called my insurance agent and he denied coverage due to rodents. It is in the "fine print" he said. I think I will try the flour and plaster as that is cheap and it won't kill other animals looking for the sick rats.
Thanks
i would definitely be asking the agent to clearly show you that “fine print”
 

Indian Gary

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Nov 19, 2019
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I have State Farm and comprehensive coverage. I have had lots of good coverage on cars in the past but I have Progressive and Hagerty on my motorcycles. I had a motorcycle burn to the ground and it was replaced by Progressive under the comprehensive policy without an increase in premiums. On the other hand, I had a small claim (theft) on my homeowner's and it immediately increased my premiums and locked me in for 5 years. That was Allstate. I've since switched to State Farm for my homeowner's, but when lightning struck my shop and knocked out a stereo, computer, and garage door opener I decided not to make a claim. I was just fortunate that the building ignited briefly then went out. When I crashed my old BSA and made a claim through Hagerty for repairs they doubled my premium saying that I had 2 claims in the past 5 years. When I asked how that could be since I had never made a claim on another motorcycle, they looked up the record and it was my wife's fender bender of 3 years prior. It is legal to include anyone in the household even if that person doesn't have a motorcycle license or has ever ridden. I dropped Hagerty for a year and reinstated my bikes with the same (previous) premium for 4 vintage bikes. Insurance is a necessary EVIL!
 

MFP

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I think I will try the flour and plaster as that is cheap and it won't kill other animals looking for the sick rats.
Thanks
Be careful with this method, nothing worse then when a poisoned rodent heads back to its nest behind a wall, in the ceiling, under a floor or some other cozy nook then dies and stinks up the place when it starts to decompose.
Also it is usually a major buzzkill when it comes time to find the dead little bugger.
 

Cycledude

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I have been using the bucket with water method for many years and it works GREAT !
But after seeing the flour and plaster method I plan on giving that a try as well .
 

Sierra1

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Sierra1. Perhaps some outdoor cats could help.
Funny you should mention that. There's also bobcats in the field. Apparently the ones that get to my place are the fast ones. :D The rat/mouse poison I use is Tomcat; no stink when they die.
 

Checkswrecks

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Glad it was just a wire you could splice.

Balsam fir oil repels rodents. You can rub a few wires and put some on cotton balls to tuck behind the wiring. There's probably other stuff too.
 

Don in Lodi

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Talking with a Toyota tech from the Bay Area over the weekend, they're on a first name basis with several of their local insurance adjusters due to eaten wire harnesses on Toyotas.
 

AVGeek

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I have State Farm and comprehensive coverage. I have had lots of good coverage on cars in the past but I have Progressive and Hagerty on my motorcycles. I had a motorcycle burn to the ground and it was replaced by Progressive under the comprehensive policy without an increase in premiums. On the other hand, I had a small claim (theft) on my homeowner's and it immediately increased my premiums and locked me in for 5 years. That was Allstate. I've since switched to State Farm for my homeowner's, but when lightning struck my shop and knocked out a stereo, computer, and garage door opener I decided not to make a claim. I was just fortunate that the building ignited briefly then went out. When I crashed my old BSA and made a claim through Hagerty for repairs they doubled my premium saying that I had 2 claims in the past 5 years. When I asked how that could be since I had never made a claim on another motorcycle, they looked up the record and it was my wife's fender bender of 3 years prior. It is legal to include anyone in the household even if that person doesn't have a motorcycle license or has ever ridden. I dropped Hagerty for a year and reinstated my bikes with the same (previous) premium for 4 vintage bikes. Insurance is a necessary EVIL!
Glad to hear you figured out the bike issue.

State Farm was absolutely useless when my wife was hit first in a major accident (the other driver wound up hitting 3 other cars). Her 6-month old SUV was totaled out (State Farm wanted to fix it at first!), and we didn't get any money out of them, and they would not step up to fight for us with the other insurance company either. All together that accident cost us $20K...
 
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