It should be, but--you can fix the wire covering, by pushing it thru a length of rubber fuel line, tape both ends, and it should be good to go!
I've had to do this with several machines in the past!
One guy said his machine started last week! So, as we're pushing it out of his shed, "mama mousie" jumped out of the engine area, and when we got the engine shroud off--lo & behold--there were 4 newly born mousies, laying on the engine head area, which we promptly dispatched!

I'm told rubbing a silicon paste on the wires can prevent them from chewing- haven't had to try it myself though. May make a dusty mess, but that can be cleaned and re-apllied.

theplayer,

The excate same thing happen to me on my GT245. I did purchase a new one, but plan to combat the mice/rats by using an sound frequency (I purchased this from Home Depot) and plugged it in and the idea is a sound only heard by them is so extreme they stay away, so I hope this works.

Is leaving the cocer off a good idea if the machine is stored in a shed? It seems the mice always go for the same spots, if it's open..I don't think they would nest there...any drawbacks to this?

that should read cover.

My Simplicity dealer said mice like to nest in the engine shroud where you can't see them. He said to put a bag of moth balls in the area and that will deter them. Don't forget to remove them when you use the mower. I know, I know, how can we get the moths to give them up, and how many will it take.

I have tried everything to curb mice form getting into my small engines ......in the fall when the equipment is stored I cover everything with a nice coat of WD-40....little mice don't like the taste of the stuff (they are constantly cleaning themselves) and then if they try to make a nest in some other area in my shed I throw in a small bag of mice poision ,just anywhere on the floor near a corner,the dogs don't bother it ,and everytime I'm in the shed the bag seems to move around a bit ,but no mice so far (you can buy 3 little bags of poision in a box anywhere) this may sound cruel,but mice can multiply in 30 days ,so ya got to nip it in the bud ,as Barney Fife would say !
Jim

Moth balls will "melt" some plastics, so be careful.

I use traps so I know where they are when they are dead plus I don't want to accidently poison one of my dogs if they find the dead mouse.

I've heard that bounce dryer sheets will deter mice too.

The bounce dryer sheets also work good when storeing a camper over winter. Never had any trouble with the mice.

I had problems with mice getting into my shed, so I put a picture of a cat near my tractor to see what would happen. The next day I found a picture of a dead mouse.

Mothballs can corrode metal in damp areas too. Besides, the problem is with mice- not moths. :)
Do they make miceballs?

Here ya go, daddyo...

"Mouse Balls"

"Mouse balls are now available as FRU (Field Replacement Units).
Therefore, if a mouse fails to operate or should it perform erratically, it may need a ball replacement. Because of the delicate nature of this procedure, replacement of mouse balls should only be attempted by properly trained personnel.
Before proceeding, determine the type of mouse balls by examining the underside of the mouse. Domestic balls will be larger and harder than foreign balls. Ball removal procedures differ depending upon the manufacturer of the mouse. Foreign balls can be replaced using the pop-off method. Domestic balls are replaced by the twist-off method. Mouse balls are not usually static sensitive. However, excessive handling can result in sudden discharge.
Upon completion of ball replacement, the mouse can be used immediately.
It is recommended that each replacer have a pair of spare balls for maintaining optimum customer satisfaction.
Any customer missing his balls should suspect local personnel of removing these necessary items."

you might check with your JD dealer for a kit for such..

Oh man this is funny! I like the dead mouse picture post! Anyway, I put two traps down on the shed/garage sills. Put some peanut butter in it and they can't resist. Once I had one mouse eat through a dead mouse to get at the peanut butter! Really gross, but keeps the damn things out! They sell small black boxes that the mouse goes in and meets it's maker quickly. MUCH easier then dealing with cats.

-greenhobby

I have a "Ratzapper" that I bought when I lived in California , we had a rat running around the neighbor hood and I got him. It's battery operated (red light blinks when you've got something) and you use a few peices of dry dog food for bait....one pc outside of Zapper and a couple pcs inside and when they go inside and step on metal plate they get zapped !. I just moved back to the midwest and don't know why it wouldn't work on mice also. I have a JD in garage and don't want mice to chew on it. Lots of farmers use the Zapper around corn cribs etc.

Two pieces of equipment in an outdoor shed---both with mouse chewn ignition wires.

Three pieces of equipment in a garage with a small window propped open so our cats can get in---ignition wires not bothered by mice.

Get a cat. Or two.

I found they stopped nesting on top or around my engine when I started leaving the cowling open. I also leave a CFL bulb on all the time so it's never dark - don't think they like that much either.

i just throw a box of mothballs out all over the floor of my shop. especially behind the toolbox and tables. last winter i had some mice get in there and 15 minutes after i put out the mothballs, i wathced them leaving the building. sadly, they went straight to the house and up in the attic! i put out poison and traps, and finally got them all that were in the house, but a couple who at ehte poison decided that in the wall in my son's room was the best place to die. you almost could not go in there for a couple weeks!

D-Con on the ground under the mower. Or a snake or two.....

I have a Scotts 1642 Lawn Tractor, about 8 years old.
It has not run reliably
for the last month or so. Noticed a trail of smoke rising
from the engine housing yesterday after I started it.
Took off the engine cover and removed a large mouse nest
from the top of the engine, and other nest
debris and grass clippings from between the engine cooling
fins. The stuff was jammed pretty tightly between the fins
so I'm sure it was overheated.

Now the tractor starts okay, but will only run for a minute
or two before losing power. It runs steadily for
30 seconds, then starts "oscillating" - throttling up and
down once a second or so and speeding up until eventually
the engine loses all power and dies. Battery is new,
oil is fresh; oil and fuel filter are both a year old.

Question: could this problem be due to additional debris
in the carburetor? How can I diagnose this and is there
an easy fix for it? I'm not an experienced mechanic.

Yep! Try this simple fix---stick a piece of wire thru the hole in the gas cap, and wiggle it around in it. Sounds like its plugged up--usually done by a mud wasp, or some other bug that lays eggs in teeny holes.

Everytime I go up to the farm to use the 5660 Agco-Allis tractor, I have to pull the shrouds off it and clean the mouse nest out of the space between the cylinders and the oil cooler.

The only way they can get in there is to go through the grill and the cooling fan.

Yesterday i parked my mowers and motorcycles in the shed till next year.Also placed four opened packets of D-con.Those M/C seats and wiring are tasty expensive snacks for mousies too