Went for a trip to my folks last weekend who live in the country. I went to check the oil today after work and found a huge mouse nest on top of the engine behind the alternator. I checked the oil before we left so I know it happened over the weekend. Looks like they chewed up some of the battery cushion, some of the white high temp braided covering on the other side of the engine, and then the wires I've circled in the photo below. The car seems to run fine as I drove it over 300 miles home as well as yesterday and today. Could someone please tell me what the connector/wires go to? A knock sensor maybe as it looks like the still intact cable at the connector runs down from the connector and under the intake. Should be able to splice and fix it, just curious what it is.

Oh, this is on our 2006 V6 4.0L and although I haven't checked for codes, it's not throwing a check engine light.

And yes, I know my engine bay is dirty as all heck

 

Well, since no one seems to know what it goes to

I ordered some 20 gauge GXL wire to splice in an fix it. Pretty sure it's to the knock sensor.

 

+1 on the knock sensor.
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=40&viewfile...20-%204.0L.pdf

The wires will be a yellow wire and a yellow/red tracer wire for the knock sensor.
You dont mention wire colors so its just a guess....

 

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the comments.

I picked up some 20AWG GXL primary wire from the Wire Barn and some self sealing silicone tape a couple weeks ago. Soldered in the new pieces. I had enough wire at the harness to make a mechanical connection before soldering, but at the plug there was only about 3/16" wire left so I was forced to just put the wires side by side. Put two layers of heat shrink over the soldered joints at both ends, twisted up the wires, and wrapped everything up. As long as the solder joints last and there aren't any small points on the solder joints that rub through it should be fine.