The only reason to really cut into the cowl is to do repairs on the fresh air vents, which typically rust out allowing water into the car, which rusts out the floor boards. Got the garden hose and ran water over the roof of the truck toward the engine bay and cowl and immediately found water entering the cab around the driver's kick panel behind the parking brake assembly. The cowls are supposed to drain through an opening at the bottom of the front fender between door and wheel well Sometimes they drain into the car If you need more info, there are a few past threads here addressing the diagnosis and repair of cowl vents Open the doors and look at the sides of the upper cowl and you can see them.
Remove all of the screws holding the cowl in place Carefully, get the ends of the cowl from under the moldings at the side of the wind shield Find the fresh air vent You may not be able to see it. Mine wasn’t that bad, but i got tired of seeing the discolored water marks on the mud flaps. Cowl vent drain lines are located beneath the windshield cowl panel, channeling water away from the cabin
Sorry, but is it that large hole at the corner of the cowl Yes, those strange looking openings in the corners are the drains You can also access the inside of the cowl through the fresh air vent on the drivers side and by removing your heater box on the passenger side.
WATCH
