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Hey Guys! 😎 My 49 22nd has been running great👌🏼 I unfortunately had to let her sit for 2 weeks. When I finally got around to starting her up, she had the infamous "Maple Syrup" smell and a significant amount of smoke coming from the vents. I dont see a leak under the dash, but I'm assuming it's a bad heater core. I don't mind the labor, just curious if the unit itself can be disassembled and repaired, before I start yanking stuff out. 😁

Hey guys, I did also read, the article stating heavy rainfall may also be the culprit. I read drilling a hole would release the accumulated water from the unit itself... Has anyone done this? If so, any advice?

The way the vents and heater are laid out on your car it is kind of hard to believe any rain water could get in and stay in the heater box with the car sitting. If the firewall gasket is totally shot and water is running down the firewall I suppose it could possibly run into the box and get trapped at the bottom. I would think you would be able to see traces of water on the firewall or pooled around the gasket and opening if that were happening. Not sure which article you refer to but I suppose a small hole wouldn't hurt but may not help either. Just be aware of where and how the core is laid out so you don't cause more problems.

About the only way I could see rainwater as the problem is if you have a huge leak around the windshield rubber that is letting water get thru and run down into the defroster channel between the windshield and dash. That wouldn't reach the core but if laying there might provide the stink. I'd more likely bet on the bad core or possibly the heater thermostatic valve rubber seal has started to leak and coolant is running down the dash inside the car between the dash pad and sheetmetal. With valve leaks it is common to find a pool under the carpet on later cars where the valve is low but with the valve being high up on your car it would probably be absorbed by the dash pad before reaching the floor.

Here is a photo of the assy and where water might get in. You might also check out a couple of photos on page 3 of this bloghttps://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=12179&viewmode=flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=20 showing a 48 heater and valve disassembled.

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More than likely either the heater core or heater control valve (Ranco valve) are leaking, or both, and both are serviceable. The heater core can be removed from the heater box and repaired (or replaced) by a competent radiator service shop. There are repair kits for the heater control valve and if you're not up to that one or both of the major Packard vendors sell rebuilt units. If you determine it's the heater control valve you could temporarily bypass it by just connecting the two heater hoses at the valve to each other until such time as you can attend to the repair. Ditto with the heater, just connect the inlet and outlet hoses to each other as a temporary measure until repairs can be effected.

I'm not discounting the rainwater possibility but it's unlikely.

Perfect, I will remove the unit and what's going on. I tested it a little more it seems to be very "steamy" through the vents. More than the first time... I can't see a leak, but it sounds definitely like a leak. Thanks guys

It the valve was leaking, that is usually external to the duct work. So if your getting through the vents/duct work, then it is most likely the core that is leaking.

If there is even a hint of green fuzz on the core,
it is leaking. Sometimes it is just a crack on the hose fitting & can be soldered. It my case, it had bulged from freezing at one point. My radiator looked really great so it must have been replaced.

for what it's worth, the NAPA part number for the Ranco heater heater valve repair kit is BK6601000. Checked the price yesterday, and it's still $9.99. This will replace the rubber gasket at the bottom of the valve that is often the problem child.