This is exactly how ours failed.  First camping trip this spring the stove would not light, I checked and found the tank to be empty.  Had it filled and it immediately started leaking out the side of the Auto-stop valve.  We pulled away from the filling station and sat there until it was empty.  Thankfully there was a breeze blowing, we opened all windows, popped the top and opened the stove valves to speed up the process.  It took a while for the tank to empty but waiting is better then burning up the van on an empty stretch of highway, or anywhere else.

Mark in AK

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2006 7:35 pm
Subject: Re: propane valve -- manual or autostop?
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> The danger appears after they fail. No fail, no danger I guess. I have
> seen 3 fail on 3 different tanks. All about the same way. Owner found
> tank empty when preparing for a trip. Filled tank at usual place.
> Laterfound tank  hissing or smelled strong propane smell when
> parked even
> with supply valve off. A.S. valve leaking past o-ring inside autostop
> assembly. The worst one was a friends 84  Wolfy. I took it for a fill
> and needed 2.5 gals, empty. Seeped some after propane guy filled it.
> Stopped a few miles later and cloud of propane hissing out.
> Danger? Only
> if a spark occurred. I parked it in an isolated spot very near by and
> waited for the whole tank to escape, which it did faster and faster.
> What if the leak had stayed very small until the van was parked in the
> garage along with the gas water heater?
>
> Mark
>
> Old Volks Home wrote:
>
> > My 84 Westy has the "so-called" dangerous Auto-Stop Valve.
> Never a
> > filling
> > problem since I purchased the vehicle in May 1997.  And I have
> an NOS
> > Auto-Stop Valve stashed away in case a problem does develop (and no,
> > it is
> > not for sale).
> >
> > Auto Stop Valves were intro'd sometime during the 1984 model year.
> > The even
> > safer valve mechanism was intro'd early in the 1989 model year
> and of
> > course, equipped on all replacement tank assemblies.
> >
> > Replacement Tank Assemblies are available from Bus Depot @ $289.95,
> > less the
> > list discount, their number 253070601D.  No affiliation, etc....
> > --
> > Jim Thompson
> > 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
> > 73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
> > 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
> > oldvolkshome@gmail.com
> > http://www.oldvolkshome.com
> > **********************************
> > On 8/2/06, Geo & Kathleen Hahn <ahwahnee@cybertrails.com> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Mike Rouby wrote:
> >>
> >> >I believe some mid-year waterboxers use manual as well.  Not
> sure the
> >> cutoff year.
> >> >
> >>
> >> FWIW... my May 1984 Westy has the manual.
> >>
> >> Geo H
> >
> >
>