Date:         Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:30:40 -0700
Reply-To:     Daryl Christensen <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Daryl Christensen <daryl@AATRANSAXLE.COM>
Subject:      Re: 1983 Westy Propane Tank Question
Comments: To: Steven Yoon <drssyoon@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTi=mE3VdsrG+K+=r1YPNN3gmLoNi3AkTNdgtx+6k@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Just went thru that on my sons Westy..It had the original 80% valve on it
and leaked from the silly old seals..
I got a replacement filler from a local RV parts place. The didn't have the
bleed valve (which is now separate and higher up) so I got one from Terry
Kay. His whole new setup is $60 or so and my main valve was 35 from the RV
joint and 13 from TK for the bleeder.

Daryl of AA Transaxle
425-788-4070
"On the cutting edge of Old technology"
86 Syncro Westy w/Turbo Zetec in the trunk


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Steven Yoon
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 4:57 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 1983 Westy Propane Tank Question

So, today being one of those fantastic spring days we have in Atlanta, I
decided to go get the propane tank filled. Since the purchase, I have not
used the stove, and didn't know how much propane was still in the tank.

I took it to a U Haul where the guy managed to add some propane to the tank.
Apparently it was still pretty full. Now here is where the disaster struck -
he could not get the filler nozzle off because the Westy's filler valve got
stuck open. He had to open the bleeder valve on his filler nozzle and let
out all the propane. There was a lot in there! When the pressure dropped
sufficiently for him to unscrew his nozzle, the valve on the propane tank
continue to leak. I pushed the center of the valve with a pen, and it was
spring loaded, and I could move it so that the leak slowed down
considerably, but not all the way.

At  this point, my tank is empty and I am not sure whether my filler valve
needs repair/replacement. I read on the web that Westy tank needs to be
filled slowly because the valve sometimes get stuck open due to the cold. Is
there a way to tell whether my tank is a goner?

By the way, when the U Haul guy filled the tank, he did not open the
pressure relief valve (the little one to the right of the filler valve).
Could this have damaged the filler valve somehow?

My Westy is from 1983.

Thanks for any help in advance.

Steve