The plate you are referring to is put there by the tank manufacturer. If you
scrape away the layers of gunk (and if it's not too rusted) you'll see that
there is information such as date of manufacture, capacity, pressure rating,
and certification data etched into the plate. If the tank is leaking, it
would be unsafe to try to repair it--it must be replaced.

You can pick up a used tank at a junkyard for around $150 (maybe less) or
you can buy a new tank for probably $250 or so. Manchester, the manufacturer
of the original tanks, still makes tanks that will fit the Westfalia. You'll
have to order one through an RV equipment dealer as Manchester doesn't sell
directly.

-Mark McCulley

At 05:20 AM 5/5/98 EDT, Ssittservl wrote:
>The propane tank on my '88 Westfalia is leaking.  Soap bubble test
>confirms that it's not the valve, fittings, lines, etc. - it's the tank
>itself.
>
>At about the bottom center of the tank, there's a thick plate about three
>inches square welded to the tank.  The tank and plate are covered
>with rust.  The leak is right at the edge of that plate.  Does anyone
>know if this plate is a "normal" part of the tank, or could it be a
>patch that a previous owner applied to an earlier leak?
>
>I assume leaky tanks are thrown away, rather than repaired.  Is that
>correct?
>
>Anyone know an inexpensive source for tanks?
>