In 1996 I bought a new Toyota Tacoma to replace my 1987 Toyota pick up (which I loved). I HATED that truck from the moment I got it. Luckily my wife got pregnant with our first child and I had to sell the Tacoma to get a truck with a back seat that I could put a baby seat in. Enter my 1993 4x4 5 speed for 20 years. The back seat soon accommodated three child seats (twins). We took that truck everywhere. Camping, vacation, daily work. People think that I have been smoking whacky tobaccy when I tell them that my Tacoma was nothing but problems and my Dodge was the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. My life changed and my family grew along with that truck and I started to take it for granted. At about 315k it died on the interstate (seemed like fuel) and I left it never to see it again.
A few weeks ago I bought a 1995 V8 automatic (ouch) 4x4 for $1200 and I have had to invest probably about $1000 just to get it rolling. Not really the vehicles fault. The original owner who bought it new died in 2014 and it was sitting in a pole barn since then. Fuel pump wouldn't pump. Computer wouldn't compute. Radiator wouldn't radiate. Leaking freeze plug. Got her rolling. Plan on keeping this one...hopefully for a while.

 

10 years or so sitting, you're going to find...odd...problems. Pull the relays and fuses, one by one, clean them gently and put them back. That way corrosion can't sneak in. Look fpr rodent damage as the little cheese thieves like to hide in machinery. I have found their work in all sorts of places. Under seats, in the glove box and the dash duct work are their favorites. If the engine seems to start to lose power, slap a vacuum gauge on it to see if you have a blocked exhaust. Mouse condos sometimes appear in the muffler and cat. With the exhaust cold, thump (<------- fancy technical term) the bottom of the muffler and cat. and listen for rust rattle. Just sitting for 10 years can cause a failure there.

 

howdy howdy

 

Mr. Ol' grouch: you have absolutely nailed it. Every statement you made was bang on accurate. I will quickly tell two quick stories:
#1. when We first got it, it wasn't running at all. But when we got it running, it was not running very well. So in that scenario, you know, the air cleaner goes on, the air cleaner comes off over and over again. On one day I took the air cleaner top off and the entire Area outside of the filter had mouse residue piled up like. Well, like it was just out of the shredder. I was mad. I threw it away, cleaned it out. I thought that the mice were gone because we were running it and driving it and I didn't expect them to stick around. But the day after that they started to rebuild and half of it was full again. Tenacious lil' ******.

#2 When we couldn't get it to start initially, my son said something about fuel injectors. I checked to make sure the fuel injectors were getting their signal and the power and that was it. We took one out and it wasn't spraying. So he tapped on it and it started spraying beautifully. The engine still wouldn't start, so he went through each injector and tapped on it. After that it ran perfectly. I never knew that fuel injectors can get into shape where they don't. Spray and all they need is a tap. Learned something new.

 

Those little cheese thieves will keep coming back. You just have to be more persistent. I will sometimes use fabric softener sheets in vehicles to keep mice out. However, it will keep them from moving in but generally won't run them off. A little trick I learned soon after injection came in with individual injectors. A can of spray cleaner and a 9 volt battery can often clean them out.

A few tips about Rodentia. Do NOT use poison. You never knew WHERE they will die. Plus, Fluffy or Spot might kill and eat the mouse before it dies and now your dog or cat is poisoned. Sticky traps work but you have to check them a lot and I think they are just plain cruel. Bad mojo there. Karma, the Universe or however you believe might have it in for you later. Snap traps are how I deal with them. Peanut butter makes a good lure and is cheap. Bait the trap and check it daily, but don't set it. Mice will be careful around a new food source. Once nothing happens, they head straight in. After the bait is taken a couple of times, set the spring bar. Smear peanut butter on the bait tray and maybe jam a broken toothpick into it with peanut butter on it. They will nibble the stick and sett the trap off. If that isn't sensitive enough, smear peanut butter on the BOTTOM of the bait paddle. When they shove their little heads under, it will get the most gentle little stinker. Snap traps are quick and usually painless.

Get some 3in1 motor oil for your hinges and locks. 3in1 makes a penetrant that works good too. Don't use WD-40 in your locks or hinges. It's a good cutting oil and will eat your locks up a little every time you stick a key in. The same with hinges, it wears the bushings out.