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Dear Marty,
Good p.m. and may this find you well. Here is a detailed procedure to remove the cowl, so you you can re-attach the mesh screen. You do not need to buy a new screen, unless yours has somehow been ruined.
(a) remove the windshield wiper arms by carefully lifting the black plastic covers at the base of each arm. Remove the nut. If the arm does not "pop" free, hold the arm, while tapping gently with a soft-faced hammer on the threaded stud. The arm should then come off in your hand.
(b) remove the black rubber windshield wiper boots. Each boot is held to the windshield wiper shaft housing by a stud, a triangular projection in the metal of the shaft housing. I eased the boot over the stud by working a piece of coat-hanger wire - with a short bend (1/8") at one end - into the stud slot in the boot. I did not want to tear the rubber of the boot, by yanking it over the stud.
(c) one each side of the leading edge of the cowl (the edge closest to the engine bay), at the edge of each fender, you will see a screw, the goes through a metal tab on the cowl and into the inner fender. Remove that screw on each side.
(d) In the center of the engine bay, at the top of the firewall, below the leading edge of the cowl, you will see a hex bolt. It may be partly behind wire bundles. Remove that hex bolt.
(e) Pry gently upwards on the metal tabs of the cowl, which are located next to the fender edges. At that point the cowl is ready to be removed.
(f) grip the cowl through the hole that allows the windshield wiper shaft to pass through, pull the cowl 1" forward (towards the front of the car). This will allow the cowl tab to disengage from the pin that secures the trailing edge. Do this on each side.
(g) Once the cowl is free of the pins, lift the rear of the cowl, and gently work it backwards (towards the windshield), while lifting gently. It should then come free. You may need to move the hood up or down to get adequate clearance.
Once you have removed the cowl, you may access the wire mesh, which is held in place by black butyl rubber strips. Get some fresh butyl rubber stripping - auto glass houses should have it - and secure the mesh to the underside of the cowl grill.
I put butyl around the perimeter of the grill area, and two strips beside the opening for the windshield washer arm. Press the mesh into the butyl rubber. That will secure it.
Replacing the mesh will keep debris out of that area and out of the heater intake. Check the cowl edges for any signs of rust.
I apologize if this may seem overly detailed. I prefer to err on the side of caution.
Many, who give instructions, presuppose knowledge that someone doing a job for the first time, simply will not have. In that case, telling someone to "remove the cowl" does not help them, because how to do so may not be obvious.
Yours,
spook (93 940 (102K); 94 940 (72K); 85 245GL (198K, soon sadly, RIP - rust)
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