Behind the tail lights is a popular place for mouse houses on my van. I've yet to remove my dashboard.

Steve
87 Syncro

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 5, 2017, at 8:43 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Thought I should pass this along.  A friend had an unusual cause for engine
> problems on a recent camping trip.  He parked his camper (2001 Volkswagen
> Eurovan Weekender, blue) for five days without moving it at a back country
> cabin in the Malheur National Forest (he went there for the recent eclipse,
> and I was with him along with several other friends and family members).
> 
> As he made his way back to Southern California via U.S. 395, his power
> steering belt broke, and upon examination he discovered a mass of sticks in
> the engine compartment, and a dead wood rat. The sticks were the rat's
> nest.  Further, he had a newly developed oil leak, where one of the sticks
> had punctured a seal, I suppose while being flung about by the broken belt.
> 
> He was able to get the van to a competent mechanic in Lakeview, Oregon (or
> Lakeview, California, I'm not sure I got that part right), but had to wait
> four days for the parts to get there (not sure where he got them).
> 
> Moral, after parking your Vanagon or other vehicle for several days
> (especially in localities frequented by wood rats), check for rat's nests.
> 
> mcneely