A strange one

enjenjo · September 04, 2009, 12:04:08 PM

As some of you know, I drove a truck back from out west for Zebby here on the board, it worked out for both of us. no major problems in 2300 miles. I did fix an exhaust leak when I got it here.

He flew in to pick the truck up tuesday, left early wed. afternoon. A half hour later he was back, it wouldn't run over 40 mph. I did a quick check, could not see a problem with fuel, spark, ect. So I took it to a tune up expert, he checked a few things, he thought ignition. So I took it to a local shop to see if he could put it on his scope. He looked at it, listened to it run, and said the convertor was plugged, except it doesn't have one.

So he said the muffler was plugged.

Rick and I brought it back to the house, and sawed the muffler off, and it ran fine. A new muffler, and he was on his way.

After he left, I turned the old muffler on end, and hit it on the ground, and rats nests started falling out.

You would think that after over 2000miles they would have burned up, but they were just slightly scorched. you never know what you will find.

rumrumm · September 04, 2009, 12:49:52 PM

Moral of the story: Rats build high quality nests. LOL!

Carnut · September 04, 2009, 02:36:06 PM

That takes me back to the days of the big GM cars with the double walled exhaust pipes.

Seems every winter in the 80's friends and relatives were having similar problems with their cars.

Turns out that folks driving the cars during a winter icy rainstorm would be driving along with a hot exhaust and drive thru some slushy puddles and
the cold water would splash up on the pipes and cool off the exterior pipe which would then squeeze on the internal pipewall and cause it to collapse and plug up the exhaust system.

I diagnosed that on cars on more than one occasion here.

34ford · September 04, 2009, 07:24:04 PM

Maybe the critters started building it after you got it home and the, just slightly scorched nest,was from the short trip before he came back.

Crosley.In.AZ · September 04, 2009, 09:41:28 PM

that is wacky....

we had a lincoln car with a clogged muffler in the shop ( mid 1980's) . I jokingly told the guy to floor the car in 'park' and see what happens.

he did , the muffler blew apart. black carbon crap was every where under and behind the car

chimp koose · September 05, 2009, 01:00:14 AM

So you cleaned up a rat rod huh!

Crosley.In.AZ · September 05, 2009, 09:15:21 AM

Quote from: "chimp koose"So you cleaned up a rat rod huh!

:!:

some of them need a little cleaning

Carps · September 06, 2009, 05:35:50 AM

My question is how did the rats climb up to the exhaust tailp[ipes to get onto the mufflers in the first place?

wchappo · September 06, 2009, 10:32:43 AM

Carps,you've heard of Snakes& Ladders,well these are Rats with Ladders

Chappo

enjenjo · September 06, 2009, 12:53:21 PM

Quote from: "Carps"My question is how did the rats climb up to the exhaust tailp[ipes to get onto the mufflers in the first place?

Well, I doubt that it happened here, there were no weeds or the like near the exhaust pipe. but you never know. It did set for a while in AZ.

Rrumbler · September 06, 2009, 02:38:14 PM

That's funny. A clogged muffler is probably not the first thing I would have thought of, but I might have worked it out sooner or later. I do know for a fact that a clogged exhaust can cause all sorts of hate and discontent, though: one time when I was a pup, some of us pranked a buddy by stuffing a couple of big spuds in his tailpipes. The pressure finally blew the spuds through the garage door he had the car backed up to, and split both mufflers at the seam. We spent a bit of time fixing that mess up, and lost a pal in the process. Some of that "live and learn" stuff, ya' know.

tom36 · September 06, 2009, 02:51:32 PM

True story, Several years ago a friend of mine, parked his 2 street rods in his basement garage for their winter nap. Come spring and good weather, he charged the battery, checked the fluids and hit the key. One revolution, and a BANG and a sudden stop. Long story short, mice over the winter, had crawled thru the exhaust system carrying grass seed from a full bag that he had ,and it went thru an open exhaust valve and filled the cylinder!. Broke the piston and scored the cylinder wall. He then checked his other car before starting and sure enough, the little critters had been there also. By the way, his insurance paid for a fresh motor. I would never had thought to check. Tom...