I want to remove and paint the plastic cowl cover on my 2005 GXP as it is faded. Is removing this cover difficult or does it just pop off after you remove the wiper arms?

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2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

I use Meguires back to black every now and then. Never tried painting it.

X2 on the Meguires

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Seth

Bonita 78,000 miles traded on a CTS4

I had mine off for better access while chasing a body water leak. Removal is pretty straightforward. You will need a substantial two-jawed puller to remove the wipers. After ruining a cheap puller I bought a set of thee from Harbor Freight (Pittsburgh item 40966). A little penetrating oil on the shaft a few days prior to removal may help. Back off the retaining nut until it is almost off. Leaving it on will keep the tip of the puller centered on the shaft during removal. The windshield washer system passes through the cowl using two flimsy plastic fittings. Be careful removing the hoses to the wipers. You can then push the two plastic fittings through to the underside of the cowl. There are several plastic retainers holding the cowl in place. Pry up the center pin to loosen the retainer and then lift it out with the edge of a screwdriver. A few retainers are of the mushroom type and just have to be forced out.

After removal I used a good detergent to clean and degrease the cowl. I put on two good coats of Krylon flat black, waiting several hours between coats.

I just put it back on today and it looks great.

Good luck.

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Andrew - owner/operator of Bonnevilles Unlimited

2004 Bonneville GXP | 60k | White Gold Tricoat | custom built supercharged 3800 hot rod | garage queen
1997 Corvette | 55k | Silver Metallic | Z06 wheels | Date-night Hauler/Parts runner
2014 Town & Country Limited | Cashmere Pearl | 95k | Family Hauler
2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Sport | Black| 260k | Official Bonneville Hauler

To avoid struggling and frustration you will need the puller to remove the wiper arms.
The aluminum wiper arm and the steel shaft are dissimilar metals in contact and will corrode and bond together over time.
Make it easy and have the puller available when you start this project.

You will be glad you did.

Thanks for all the help. One last thing. Does the hood need to be off? I ask because the hood had to come off on an Audi I have to get the cowl cover off.

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2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

Nope, hood stays on.

Don't paint it. Clean it with a quality APC and treat it with a good protectant. I can just see the threads starting on people painting their cowels red. Once one person does it, its bound to happen. Lol.

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02 SSEi-Turning money into tire smoke, very efficiently.

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I don't think paint will look good long...

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Seth

Bonita 78,000 miles traded on a CTS4

I still disagree with you. I've pulled apart dozens of these and never used a puller. Not saying that a puller doesn't work, its just not necessary.

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Andrew - owner/operator of Bonnevilles Unlimited

2004 Bonneville GXP | 60k | White Gold Tricoat | custom built supercharged 3800 hot rod | garage queen
1997 Corvette | 55k | Silver Metallic | Z06 wheels | Date-night Hauler/Parts runner
2014 Town & Country Limited | Cashmere Pearl | 95k | Family Hauler
2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Sport | Black| 260k | Official Bonneville Hauler

I agree also, puller not necessary.

I am not so sure about painting the cowl, might be great, might look like poop...

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Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Ive never used a puller on em. Pulled plenty off when I worked at the Ford dealer. Basically did what andrew said in the posted link. If I knew I was gonna work on something like that I went out removed the nuts and sprayed em when I got to work. A punch with a lil tap tap helped too. loosens up the initial corrosion.

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Seem to have different opinions here. The current cowl is pretty faded. Im not sure the meguires will bring it back. Anyone know how much a new one is? My thought was using the duplicOlor plastic paint on it.

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2005 GXP in Black
K&N Filter, tinted windows, tinted headlights, RVinyl fog light covers, Autosport cross-drilled and slotted rotors, EBC Red Stuff pads.
2012 Ford F150 FX2 Super Crew (Daily Driver) 5.0 V8.

You can definitely try it, worst comes to worst you don't like the look and buy another one anyways. If I was that unhappy with it, I would absolutely try painting it first, I am just not so sure about a high gloss finish on it.

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Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

While a puller is never absolutely 100% necessary, it is in fact easy (should take 2 seconds to pop a wiper arm off with one), and two you're not subjecting the drive stud and wiper drive assembly to pressures that could bend something out of place/synchronization within the wiper drive assembly. In some instance, possible cracking of the windshdield itself (should the drive stud actually go through the windshield glass itself... yes I've seen this).

So NO, you don't need it, but like anything, the proper tool for the job makes life easier all the way around. I don't use a pair of channel locks on my oil pan bolts just because it "can" work! There's a 10mm socket that works better and more efficiently...

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Try some trans fluid to bring the shine back. Clean rag, pour some out on rag, spread evenly.

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Heck even engine oil. Back in the day, you know, when we all used our feet to power our cars, there were these things called "station wagons". Many of these "station wagons" had faux wood paneling on the side.

Anyway, I've known more than one person that used engine oil on said paneling. Really any oil/petroleum based product that repels water (which is what causes the whole issue in the first place), I guess would work. Not that I am recommending anyone go out and pour a quart of their favorite lubricant on their cowl, but just sayin'

I personally would use Mother's Back to Black like originally posted.

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Hell, shoe shine probably works! lol

I was brought home in a Poncho station wagon. Grey, large, red interior, had a CB. I do miss that car, actually saw pics of it the other day lol.

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