What do you all do with the sound deadening material when chasing down a cowl leak and/or installing a firewall brace?

It's seriously in the way, but if I cut it out, it doubt I'll be able to re-use it and I'm not sure I should re-use it. It's probably gotten wet a hundred times by now (though it doesn't seem to stink. I ask because I hate to throw away something usable away and then I'd want to replace it.

 

My 84 F250 firewall mat disintegrated, so I just ripped it out and will replace it with Dynomat or equ matting.

On my 89 F250 with leaky cowl, I took the dash and ac/heat box out of the truck. The mat look in good shape. But once I pulled it from the firewall, the stinch came out! It was waterlogged rotted from the cowl leak. I tossed it as I had another parts truck with no cowl leak. Next time around I'll dynomat it.

As for cutting it, I would cut it out to fix the leak. Then if that part cut out is reuseable , just find some good strong duct tape or some kind of glue to attach it back in place.

By the way, I wound up removing the 89' dash just to find the cowl leak it had. Water travels in weird ways.....

 

Great Eddie, thanks very much for the info. I'll take your advice.