In a message dated 08/06/2008 10:02:56 P.M. Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

If I  recall correctly, someone wrote in maybe about a month ago, perhaps it
was a  little bit longer about their propane valve leaking. When I went out to
the  garage this morning I could smell propane. Tightening my fingers around
the  blue plastic cover of the control valve changed the pitch of a small hiss
I  was hearing. This seems to be a somewhat intermittent problem. Underneath
that  blue plastic cover of the valve I thought was a pressure release valve.
I  recently had a fill up, and have not used any appreciable amount of
propane.  Is it possible the tank was just overfilled? I just had a leak not too long
 ago around the same valve, had to drain the tank and reappply telfon paste
and  refill, so this is getting old. Any advise here? Do I need a new  valve?

Troy,  the service valve and the regulator both have over pressure relief
valves.   if you recently filled your tank it is possible in high heat conditions
 that the pressure in the propane tank will exceed the limit set on these two
 relief valve and propane will escape until the over pressure condition
reaches  preset limits.   Propane expands as the ambient temperature around the
vessel rises.  This is why the tanks are set to be filled to only 80% and  that
they have the over pressure relief valves.  It should stop leaking  soon and
if it does not then further investigation of the leak needs to be  done.  The
relief valves may be worn and not working properly.  I see  this quiet often on
old regulators and sometimes on the service valves.

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
_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/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008