Ed,  

If your regulator frosts up it is defective.  

  The bleed valve is supposed to be open when filling the tank. As soon as gas comes out of the bleed when filling, the attendant is supposed to first turn off the pump and then the bleed valve. Filling should stop at 2.8-9 gallons.  

One simple way to find the level of your tank is to pour boiling water on the tank. Not exactly easy on a Westfalia , but if you do this you will see the level on the tank surface.  
Tanks should be no more than 80% filled.  

Robert
1982 Westfalia

----- Original Message -----
Wrom: DADRZFSQHYUCDD
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2002 8:45 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: too much propane?

I got my used propane tank mounted and hooked up, and went to get it
filled.  The guy filled it up from empty, and said it took 3 gallons.  Now
here's what it's doing...  If I open the bleed valve, I am pretty sure I am
getting liquid propane.  It looks like a white stream, and makes a cold
white spot on the bottom of the van where it is pointed.  when i open the
valve to the regulator, I get wooshing clouds of white vapor, until the
valve is all the way open.  Same thing happens when I close it, and it
tapers off and stops after it is closed. I first thought this was coming
from the valve stem area, now I think it is coming from the
regulator.  When the valve is open, I can smell gas.  I tried all around
with the soapy water, found nothing.  Left it on for a little while and
then came back to find the first stage of the regulator all covered with
frost.  (This being the stage closer to the tank.)  I then felt the leak
coming from a hole in that first stage of the regulator.  It looks like the
hole is supposed to be there.  Is my tank over filled?  Would this symptom
be caused by an overfilled tank or bad regulator?

The reliable source I got the tank from said it was working fine when removed.

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