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This could happen to you

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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:22 AM
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Talking Re: This could happen to you

Mike,

You've Got to be Sh**ing Me!
How the He** did Kevin find it, or think of looking there????

Very Happy for you & Now you can bring the New AMX, once again, to the Dragon & show her off! (Along with her New Family of Mice! )

Bill
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:26 AM
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Hahaha! That has to be the strangest thing that has ever kept a car from running!
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:32 AM
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Default Re: This could happen to you

Originally Posted by +fireamx
It turns out, the muffler was packed full of DOG FOOD!!
It seems that a mouse or mice took up residence in our garage and found the muffler of the Crossfire an excellent place to call home.
Hehe, I had a similar problem with a Jeep that I had. A mouse (or other small critter) broke into the birdseed that we had stored in bags in the garage. They climbed up through the engine area and went into my airtake and stored the seeds in the airfilter box. I went to go change the airfilter one day and I was very surprised to see that. Anyways glad your problem is solved.
 

Last edited by itsky; 04-30-2008 at 07:36 AM.
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:36 AM
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WOW Mike... I'm glad you resolved the problem. Strangest thing I've heard in a while.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:36 AM
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Talking Re: This could happen to you

I suppose you could call the solution to this problem "The Damnimal Fix"!

Glad you're back on the road! Keep it on the black stuff between the trees.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:43 AM
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Originally Posted by itsky
Hehe, I had a similar problem with a Jeep that I had. A mouse (or other small critter) broke into the birdseed that we had stored in bags in the garage. They climbed up through the engine area and went into my airtake and stored the seeds in the airfilter box. I went to go change the airfilter one day and I was very surprised to see that. Anyways glad your problem is solved fireamx.
Itsky, glad you mentioned that. I forgot that when I changed my air filter on my Honda (that shares the garage with the Crossfire) I found 2 mouse skeletons in the air box. Can you imagine two mice doing what mice like to do most, then all of suddenly they get sucked up against the air cleaner screen "spread eagle" everytime I start the car.
Might be a good idea to plug those air intakes on the Crossfire too.
 

Last edited by +fireamx; 04-30-2008 at 07:45 AM.
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:45 AM
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Mike.....I can't stop laughing !!! Always knew this car had Pedigree!!!

I wonder where you jettisoned the critter???
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:53 AM
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That's unbelievable.

Although its been a frustrating 5+ weeks, I'm sure that you are very relieved that it was a muffler problem and not some electrical or computer problem.

It's amazing that your tech even checked the muffler.

Before your update this moring, tracking problems like yours has always made me feel uneasy about my decision to buy a Crossfire with the intention of keeping it for a long time. Its like, what am I getting into? Upon ocassion, it makes me regret the idea of selling my 73 Cougar so that I can have the Crossfire.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 07:55 AM
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As Maxcichon pointed out. I inadvertantly came pretty close to calling it when I mentioned the "Danimal Procedure" a few posts back.
Unfortunately, I can't get my car back until I find a new muffler for the car.
Those little varmits so successfully plugged up the muffler, it can't be cleaned out.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by +fireamx
Those little varmits so successfully plugged up the muffler, it can't be cleaned out.
Maybe not with air, but how about using some sort of liquid, maybe even just water, and filling the entire muffler with water then soaking the dog food until it turn into a slimy mess.

The stainless won't mind, and even if it all comes out as a messy slurry it shouldn't be too hazardous to dispose of.

Just a thought.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Display_Name
Maybe not with air, but how about using some sort of liquid, maybe even just water, and filling the entire muffler with water then soaking the dog food until it turn into a slimy mess.

The stainless won't mind, and even if it all comes out as a messy slurry it shouldn't be too hazardous to dispose of.

Just a thought.
This is a cut-away view of the inside of the "mouse condo"...I mean of our muffler.

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...hlight=muffler

Kevin said it is so packed full of dog food, it has turned into a moist mush from the engines vapors and he doesn't think he could ever completely clean it out. Looking at the fiberglass wrap that's inside of it, I tend to agree with him.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by RPM
Wow. That is surprising.
I usually stuff paper towels in the exhaust tips before storage (making sure the exhaust is cool).

Did you have a cover on yours? Just curious since the Mopar ones have a thick piece that covers the exhaust.

Glad the problem was found.
No RPM I don't use a car cover (even though I have 3 of them) because ironically, I've always heard that "covers" made an excellent "tent" for mice to live under, and they would scratch your paint travelling to and from their camp grounds. Plus I always heard that no matter how good the cover was, it still held in moisture.
I may re-think my storage routine next year.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 09:46 AM
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Great news Mike, glad to hear that you will be back on the road. It's scary to think of all the electronics and computer problems that it could have been, but great to think it turned out to be something as basic as this...

p.s. maybe locking the neighbors cat in your garage wouldn't be such a bad thing after all
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 09:56 AM
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Default Re: This could happen to you

I had a friend who owned a small body shop in Milwaukee. He bought a Conquest TSI for a song from a customer because of the same problem you had. Nobody could fix it. He cut off the dog food packed exhaust, replaced it , and drove it for several years!! It was packed all the way from the manifolds back!
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 10:19 AM
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Default Re: This could happen to you

Originally Posted by +fireamx
Kevin said it is so packed full of dog food, it has turned into a moist mush from the engines vapors and he doesn't think he could ever completely clean it out. Looking at the fiberglass wrap that's inside of it, I tend to agree with him.
Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Maybe one of the mice fancies itself as a Detroit cop...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aqzNFnEjr_c

(Sorry, I've just had this sound clip running through my head since I read about the cause of your plight.)
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 10:21 AM
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Question Re: This could happen to you

Originally Posted by SilverFox
Mike,

You've Got to be Sh**ing Me!
How the He** did Kevin find it, or think of looking there????

Very Happy for you & Now you can bring the New AMX, once again, to the Dragon & show her off! (Along with her New Family of Mice! )

Bill
Mike, What's the Answer?
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 10:28 AM
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Default Re: This could happen to you

Originally Posted by SilverFox
Mike, What's the Answer?
Kevin said after trying all the hi-tech methods, he went back to the basics.
An engine is just an air pump, it sucks air in, and blows it out.
Plug up either end, the motor woun't run.
That's when he decided to "smell" the exhaust. Either that, or he got so frustrated with the whole mess he decided to commit suicide, and while breathing the exhaust fumes, it came to him.
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 10:41 AM
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Default Re: This could happen to you

Originally Posted by +fireamx
Kevin said after trying all the hi-tech methods, he went back to the basics.
An engine is just an air pump, it sucks air in, and blows it out.
Plug up either end, the motor woun't run.
That's when he decided to "smell" the exhaust. Either that, or he got so frustrated with the whole mess he decided to commit suicide, and while breathing the exhaust fumes, it came to him.
ROTFLMFAO!!!
 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 11:12 AM
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I hope you informed the dog were all his food was going and that he should from now on eat it before something else does.

 
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Old 04-30-2008 | 11:25 AM
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Default Re: This could happen to you

Originally Posted by +fireamx
Well, I guess I should change the title of this Thread:
If you store your car for the winter, this could happen to you.
I just heard from Kevin (the technician working on my car) and he finally found the problem.
It turns out, the muffler was packed full of DOG FOOD!!
It seems that a mouse or mice took up residence in our garage and found the muffler of the Crossfire an excellent place to call home.
So if you store your car for winter, ya may want to "PLUG" those giant exhaust tips, because they must look like the Grand Entrance to an expensive "German" Spa and Resort.

One more thing, If you live anywhere within a 200 mile radius of Klaben Chrysler in Kent Ohio, and you need something repaired on your Crossfire, I don't think that you would be able to find a more dedicated, or expert technician than Kevin.
I was over at Kevin's house last night and he told me that he was going to pursue the plugged muffler avenue. I am overjoyed that he finally found the problem, but probably no more so than you and Kevin. And thanks for keeping the faith about Kevin. I've known him forever and he has been my #1 mechanic for the past 20 years. And I know that he appreciates the good press.
 


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