The 81 westy I used to own had a little keyed cap.
Like a "small gas cap" under the square plastic flap.
Once you take off the cap, there were no other obstructions
in the line to the water tank. Then the hose adaptor would slide all
the way into the tank, and you could fill it in a few minutes
with no mess.
My new "improved"?? 90 westy  has instead a valve inside
the hose connection to the tank. One can not get past that
thing to fill the tank with the hose adaptor without getting
wet feet. I was almost going to break the valve assembly
out. But then I'd have to figure out something else to
stop the water from sloshing out, when the tank is full.
The locking plastic flap does not make a watertight seal.
I guess one could change the whole assembly with that
from an earlier westy.
Harald
90 Improved ?? westy

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> From: Madeline Mullen/Ed Lowe <maded@GTE.NET>
> To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: westy water tank
> Date: Wednesday, July 08, 1998 1:13 PM
>
> May be the air vent is plugged, I think it is a small hole on the same
> part as the filler port.  Also, you can get a hose adapter that has a
> bent pipe on it from JC Whitney or the hardware store that allows you to
> pour directly in and down the filler port, that might help