UNBELIEVABLE Engine Air Filter Pix/Problem -- Help. Please :>(

So, I checked my cabin filter and air filter on Sunday morning for evidence of any little rodent visitors. No worries -- but now -- well look at the pictures....

I am driving today (no heat on because it was a balmy 57-degrees F) and notice a Mickey/Minnie smell.

I get home and my black lab dog starts alerting all around my car....Oh, OH, mouse time. I open Cabin Filter and find nesting materials and some seeds, but no urine, and few droppings.

Open Engine Filter and I nearly pass out....I have posted pix. Take a look.

But, the weather is supposed to be good tommorrow. And I can take the day off. So, thought I would go to work on the problem. I do not want to tackle the whole screening rigamorole, but thought I would try
Patrick Wong's solution as posted on another thread follows in red italic. And, no, I have NO reason to doubt Patrick's reasoning or experience -- it's just that I have never seen the mice get this busy in the car and I guess I am in need of a bit of hand (paw?) holding... (Peppermint oil -- where do I put it in car? | PriusChat):

I'd like to propose a labor-saving alternative to my earlier suggestion of accessing the air resonator chamber located in the front passenger wheel well. Instead, disconnect the air duct that leads to the engine air filter housing, and attach that to a shop vacuum hose, using packaging tape for a good seal. Turn on the vacuum and see what is sucked up.

Then, attach the vacuum hose to the shop vacuum exhaust, and blow air back into the air duct. See what comes out of the air inlet which faces towards the windshield washer reservoir. Make sure you have an unimpeded flow of air before you declare victory.

Car is running fine, no lights on or anything. So, should the above be a good measure to try. Any other thoughts? ​

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Yes, I am bad, bad, bad.

But, also a bit scared and tentative. So, treat me gently

So, once again, Thanks, Thanks, Thanks (this must be the 50th time -- I really owe you bigtime).

I really think you are pushing me into getting in gear and doing the screening, since in your Peppermint post you said taking the cowling off the windshield wiper area was not really that bad -- so thank you for that.

One quick question. I guess I have found the intake for the engine air filter near the windshield wiper fluid tank. Sort of a small opening facing right toward the top of the tank....guess I will know for sure on Tuesday morning. Anyway, it looks like it could be somewhat simple to screen off. So, just doublechecking....no problem putting a hardware cloth screen around that, right -- as a sort of tentative first step? Sort of build my confidence...
Kris

 

Dawn Patrol update....Tuesday morning....

I stumbled bleery (or is that beery ) eyed outside at daybreak and was greeted by the sight of a dead deer mouse in the trap I had set next to the front passenger tire.

The two traps inside the car (one on the passenger side front mat, another on the driver's) were untouched. I had considered a trap inside the engine compartment but could not figure out where to put it where it would have stability, as well as room for the bar to swing across and catch anything. Was also afraid it would fall somewhere and get lost/stuck.

Opened the cabin filter box up and no new materials and no one hiding in the fan (I left the filter and the filter tray out of the car last night). So, I stuck a new filter in there and closed it up.

Engine air filter box also had no new materials.

At the moment I am waiting for my shop vac to dry out a bit. I had last used it to clean ashes out of the wood stove and it really needed a good cleaning before I would venture to use it on the Prius

 

O.K.:

Just finished the VacFlush of the air intake hose thing.

The VACFLUSH should be an occassional "do-it" for every Prius owner!

Got a fair amount of gunk out of the line, pretty much all of it with the initial vacuum -- no mice or mice parts, though.

Did not notice any debris when I reversed the flow and hooked up the ShopVac exhaust to the line.

Trouble doing it?

The intake hose clamps on the air filter box with a clamp that was more than easily accessible. Only issue was that it was a bit tough to slip the hose off once I had loosened the clamp. Once again, I was probably being too gentle -- afraid I would break something. Putting the hose back on was simple. It slipped easily back into place.

Massive air flow was coming out of the intake when I ran the ShopVac exhaust into the tube, so apparently no obstructions.

So, all I have to do now is fish some of the seeds pods out from below the Cabin Filter fan -- some fell through when I took out the Cabin Filter. They roll around on curves and make irritating noises.

Thanks again everyone for the encouragment!
Kris

 

Opps, double post...

 

Sorry, have not been here for a bit.

No, the screen goes on the other end of the snorkel.
See this post:

What is this black plastic thing under the hood? | PriusChat