Near Disaster in Backcountry

[traxtion]

My wife and I were camping at about 10,000’ in a fairly wet environment. Driving down the next day, my wife smelled smoke so I pulled over to inspect the engine bay. Was rather alarmed to find a smoldering chipmunk nest - assuming the engine bay was an enticing warm and dry spot for an animal. We were probably a few minutes from a battery-adjacent fire. Lesson learned that it never hurts to check!

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[Reinen]

Also check your undercarriage when driving through dry brush. In the right conditions dry grass/scrub can accumulate on top of your skid plates. and be ignited by the exhaust.

 

[Jim1964]

Just my opinion, but I think there was more stuff in another location. Because I can’t see temperatures getting high enough in that spot to ignite. Unless it was falling from there and getting to the exhaust manifold.

I have fought the vermin a few times as well. Inspect your wiring, sometimes they like to nibble on insulation or plastic engine parts too.

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