Slipstream - March 2014

Cliff’s Ramblings: Track Rats and Real Rats
By Cliff Blackshear
Ya know, I have come to the
conclusion that rodents have
great taste in cars. We are once
again seeing a number of cars
with problems caused by rodent
invasion. The colder-than-usual
weather that we are having seems to
have driven rats to look for a new
warmer home. 911s are their favorite Porsche.
I know from experience as a dealer level tech
since 1972 that the 911 is a car that is often bought
and only driven on weekends. They often do not
move from a spot in a garage for weeks. The little
creatures simply see a new home sitting there.
Many rodents and insects are suffering in this
weather. Their nest is not keeping them comfortable,
so they are in the market for a new home. The engine
compartment is enclosed, and has limited access with a
nice open space under the intake manifold for a nest.
Four cars came into our shop recently within a twoweek
period of time -- three 911s and one Boxster.
Their check engine lights were on, and their fuel/
ignition software was defaulting to an emergency
run program due to input data degradation. Horsepower
and torque were cut by 50-70 percent.
Twelve 911s had to have their engines removed and
new engine wire harnesses replaced. No Boxsters were
attacked. A few Cayennes had minor damage. It was
interesting. They all seemed to attack exactly the same
wires: the +61 exciter wire to the alternator, the wires
going to the oil level sensor, and the vacuum lines in
the immediate area. It seemed that these wires impeded
proper nest-making real estate. The Cayennes
suffered a small amount of firewall insulation damage
in the engine compartment on the driver’s side.
Over the years, I have observed that another constant
area of invasion has been around the pollen
filter/battery mounting area of 911s and Boxsters.
We find nests around the pollen filter, and occasionally
holes in the filter, with subsequent damage to
wiring under the dash. They also get to the wiring
for the fuel pump and fuel tank level sending
unit, which is immediately below the battery.
Please bait around your garage area.
Some years ago, when the 997 had just been introduced,
my workshop experienced a weird event.
Across from our building is a huge field. About
seven tenths of a mile up from us, Walmart bought
a number of acres of land and built one of their
super large stores. Displaced rodents migrated to
my world looking for a new place to nest. In the
parking lot at the front of our building we had
many 911s, Boxsters and Cayennes—all new cars.
2014 911 Twin Turbo nesting area
Remaining insulation in that 911 Twin Turbo
Moving on . . .
I’m pretty excited about this year’s Club Racing
events. I missed going to Sebring in February -- I just
could not make it. That track is brutal on the cars,
and since it is an early race in a new season, it seems
that drivers really get amped up for it. Lots of carnage
and damaged equipment this year. I wish I could have
been there. I spoke with the esteemed Mr. Shoffit
today about the race, and he verified everything I had
heard. Both he and Bernard Nussbaumer were lucky
enough to have both survived and finished well.
Easy events to which to travel are looming: Hallett,
Texas World Speedway, and Eagles Canyon Raceway
for example. The really big one is going to be COTA
(Circuit Of The Americas) over May 2-4. For those of
you who usually attend Sunday drives, social events and
continued on page 28
22 March