Date:         Wed, 1 Aug 2007 22:04:30 +0000
Reply-To:     Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Vickery <davevickery@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Yet another rusty propane tanks question...
In-Reply-To:  <c40.1cb8fba5.33e222be@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Gotta agree with the bulging plate comment.  The rust will be the worst
there and if it is bulging up, most of the steel has turned to rust.  I had
my first (Seattle area 1990) tank sandblasted and all was good until he got
to the tag.  Cut and pulled up two corners began blasting and went right
through the tank.  Second tank had most of the original paint and cleaned up
fine.  Third time I went with a new one.  If I ever buy a different van, the
fourth one will be a new one too.  How much is your time worth?


>From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
>Reply-To: JordanVw@AOL.COM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Yet another rusty propane tanks question...
>Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 13:54:06 EDT
>
>zolt..your scaring the isht out of the poor guy..     the ID plate is
>superficial.. if they look scaly or have alot of rust underneath, i just
>grind them
>off and chuck them.   Manchester was retarted for affixing the ID plates
>this
>way anyway..  ive seen scaly rust under the ID plate but NEVER a hole thru
>or
>even a weak spot..
>
>chris
>
>
>
>In a message dated 8/1/07 1:48:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET writes:
>
>
> >
> > If that welded on ID plate is bulging too too too much, it is probably
>done.
> > Most bad rusting is happening there.  If its kind of level still, take
>the
> > whole thing out and clean it up and POR 15, and Rustoleum paint it, put
>new
> > fill valve, new press. release valve, new regulator and that's it.  You
> > don't need to let the gas out of it for just painting, but for changing
>the
> > valves, yes.  Take off the regulator and open the valve, while the tank
>is
> > in the correct position as it would be in the car.
> > Once it is empty, you can weld and grind and all.  The wall thickness of
>the
> > tank is not changing substantially with the usual rust.  But under the
>plate
> > can be half the thickness.  One can weld a new piece in there, but it
>better
> > be a good welder who knows what he is doing.
> > To take out the whole thing as follows;
> > Take off the stone guard, one bolt&nut each side, 13mm.
> > Take off the pipes,
> > 15mm long sockets for the nuts that hold it up.  Don't take out the two
> > inner ones, only make them very loose.  Take out the two outside ones
>only.
> > Hold the tank before you take out the second one, than lower it nicely.
> > There is no danger.  Its a normal gas tank.
> > Now, remember, you are working with gas.  Some of the fittings are
>marked
> > with a notch, that means left hand threaded and they tighten and loosen
>the
> > opposite way.  Just like on an oxy-acetilene set you find them.
>Fittings
> > are tapered and self sealing, but you put on teflon tape.
> > The whole thing is not a big deal, really.  It is only strange the first
> > time.
> > Zoltan
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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