In a message dated 21/06/2006 1:59:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

that  metal is 1/4 thick.   it wont ever rust thru.  your van's  sheetmetal
body will rust out before you get a rust hole in your LP  tank.  and in cali,
that's highly unlikely.
im a east  coaster and every LP tank ive ever seen has the ID plate
spotwelds coming  off.  big deal.   cut the ID plate off if it bothers you or
 flatten
it back down and epoxy the edges (to mimick welds)  and wire  brush your tank
and paint it with rustoleum and all will be  fine.

Ok, Ok, this is one of those  times I just have to jump in here !  The tanks
are indeed 1/4 inch thick  BUT they will rust through and I have seen ones
here that I was able to stick my  hand inside the tank through the rusted out
hole where that stupid data tag  plate is/was !  First thing you all should do is
RIGHT NOW go out under you  Van and remove that stupid plate.  It does
nothing but harbor moisture,  road dirt etc that is concentrating the rusting dead
center of that plate.   Now I know some of you will see that you plate has been
welded on with a  continuous weld around the perimeter of the plate.  This is
a good  thing.  It is the newer style tank from Mr. Manchester after they
discovered the error of their ways with the previous screw up of welding the
data tag on with four spot welds in the corners.  NOW, you have your data  tag
removed.  Check to see if you have any white frost (propane hitting the
atmosphere) seeping out under all that rust you found.  If so your  tank is rusted
through and leaking.  If it's not leaking then you have a  couple of options.
If your tight on dollars then just keep it coated with  some kind of oil based
rust preventive until you can get around to having the  tank refurbished,
otherwise remove the tank and refurbish it now !  If your  tank is leaking then
you can either find someone to repair it if your lucky or  buy a new one.  I
have been refurbishing these tanks for a number of  years with great success.  I
have a local welder who can repair the  rusted out tanks.  He charges me
$100.  I have the tanks sandblasted  then I coat them with POR-15, Rustoleum or
any other spray bomb rust paint is  useless unless you live in LaLa land.
Remember where that tanks lives,  probably the harshed environment possible.  Now
your newly coated tank is  then better than new !  Even the new ones I get here
I strongly recommend  to all my customers to spend the extra bucks to have
them stripped and POR-15  before installation to secure their investment and
future life of that  tank.  Nuff said PLUS I'm sure I wrote on this subject
before - CHECK THE  ARCHIVES  !

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg  (Forsale) & Lionel Trains
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
- Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa  Valley
_Vanagon  Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
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camping event, Almonte, ON, June 08 ~ 11,  2006