Date:         Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:42:23 -0400
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Propane Leaking out of Tank on 90 Syncro
Comments: To: jkjacob123@YAHOO.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

With a propane leak you should not be doing anything that creates sparks nor
lighting anything. Don;t even use your cell phone nearby.

My bet is that the auto stop valve is hung up and releasing the propane.
This can be caused by a corroded valve or overfilled tank. The solution may
be as simple as resetting the valve. Look carefully to the left of the
valve. There should a red cap. This is the control plunger. The cap may be
missing. If so, look for the brass plunger. Push this in. It may take some
tapping with a hammer, especially if frozen. If ice is there, that is an
obvious sign the tank overfilled. If this fails, then you need to vent the
tank. There is a bleeder valve just above the fill valve. With absolutely
nothing nearby that can cause sparks or flame, open this valve and the gas
will escape. If liquid comes out of this valve, than you have another sign
the tank was overfilled. Vent until the liquid stops then you should be able
to reset the fill valve.

Hope this helps and be extremely careful. This really should have been
checked better at the propane fill place.

Dennis


>From: J Jacobson <jkjacob123@YAHOO.COM>
>Reply-To: J Jacobson <jkjacob123@YAHOO.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Propane Leaking out of Tank on 90 Syncro
>Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:03:35 -0700
>
>Hi - I have learned alot from this group in the short time that I have
>  been a subscriber and Syncro owner. I feel certain that someone can
>  help me with the current problem I am having. Took my mom camping for our
>  first trip in the Syncro. Got the propane tank filled just before
>  leaving (2 wks ago) and the guy seemed to be very experienced in filling
>  these - I asked him if he had done one before and he seemed pretty
>  confident and knowledgeable. We have had some hot hot weather since then
>and
>  we didn't even burn any propane (couldn't get the fridge to lite of
>  course) so - a few days ago I noticed an odor near the van and...it's
>  gottne way worse in the last two days as the weather has cooled and now I
>  can hear hissing and actually SEE the leak. It's coming out of the place
>  where the attendant put the gas in and my tank looks much older than
>  the one on Go Westy.
>
>So today I tried to burn the stove for a few hrs to get rid of some gas
>  but I don't think it even made a dent...it's still pouring out and the
>  cap is frozen?
>
>So - what should I do? try to burn more off? It's scary to be lighting
>  matches in the van with the smell so strong. (The odor is for sure just
>  outside though and not inside). Clearly my tank was overfilled...what
>  can I do?
>
>Thanks so much in advance for any help you might be able to provide!!
>
>Janna
>1990 Syncro "Pearl"