Ours was fine until last spring when it failed and released a just filled tank of propane at a gas station 190 miles from home.  We had to sit there while the propane escaped and spent the rest of the trip cooking on a coleman stove.  When we got home I converted our tank to a manual valve, an easy process that should take less than 30 minutes if your not dealing with a rusty tank.

Mark in AK 

----- Original Message -----
From: Todd Last <rubatoguy@COMCAST.NET>
Date: Friday, July 13, 2007 9:48 am
Subject: Autofill valves:  WAS ====>Re: Refilling propane
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> I guess I must be in the minority of people who have an autofill 
> valve and have not had any problems.
> 
> What is the problem that happens with these?
> 
> Todd
> '88 Westy
> 
> 
> 
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: alfred bagdan <abagdan@SHAW.CA>
> > So you're having trouble with your auto-fill-valve?
> >
> > Auto-fill-valves are expensive and very troublesome.  Some propane
> > places at holiday resorts refused to fill up my tank after one 
> look at the
> > auto-stop fill-valve.
> > I replaced the troublesome auto-stop valve with a simple manual 
> valve and
> > bleed-valve for about $20, and haven't had any problem with 
> filling the
> > propane since (about 18 years now).  When you see a newer model 
> vanagon,> take a look at the fill valve.  They have the simple 
> manual kind.
> > Check out an RV place or a propane parts center.  They have what 
> you need.
> > You can do it yourself or get them to do it.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "BA" <oddstray@ODDSTRAY.COM>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> > Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 8:39 PM
> > Subject: Re: Refilling propane
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 08:56:54 -0700, you wrote:
> >
> > >Howdy Volks,
> > >
> > >I am down south in Mexico and am having trouble getting my 
> propane tank
> > >refilled. We attach the hose, open the bleeder valve, and start 
> pumping> >but nothing enters the tank. This has happened at 
> several different
> > >filling stations. It�s almost as if it needs a different type of
> > >connector or something. Can anyone offer any help/advice? It�s 
> an 85,
> > >btw.
> > >
> > >Gracias,
> > >Pedro
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> >
> > I keep coming up against this issue. I believe that the answer 
> is to
> > open the bleeder valve *all the way* (It says so on it, if you can
> > contort yourself to read what's written on it).
> >
> >
> > S&B
> > '87 Westy 'Esmerelda Blanc'
> > SoCal
>