[Psml] Fiberglass gas tank problems

[The Old Hokie]

What a misdirected lawsuit!   It should be aimed at the Federal Government, 
the ones who required the various refiners to re-formulate the gasoline to 
meet the EPA standards.   Trying to blame the oil companies is trying to 
blame the victims, not the guilty party.

Dave Garthoff - Akron Squadron

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gene Duley" <gduley at mindspring.com>
To: <garthoff at uakron.edu>
Cc: "United States Power Squadrons Mailing List" <psml at usps.org>
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 1:48 AM
Subject: [Psml] Fiberglass gas tank problems


Power Squadron Members;

            If Consumer Affairs reports it-it is serious business.
Regarding Public Relations-this bit of safety news should really get some
name recognition for USPS-provided the Power Squadrons are willing to spread
it.  In addition to all of the Squadron Newsletters and Educational classes,
this information should (in my opinion) be placed on the VSC site in order
for the Inspectors to spread the word.  The examiners could also call those
owners that they have already checked, to inform them of this real problem.

Personally, I had heard (several years ago) that the new gas adversely
affected the "rubber" fuel lines.  Any gas in the bilge is an explosive
situation!

PC Gene Duley/Redondo Beach/D13

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

>From Consumer Affairs.com

      Ethanol-Blended Fuel Blamed for Boaters' Problems
      Blended fuel damages marine tanks, engines, the class action charges.

A class action lawsuit charges that major oil companies are
manufacturing and selling ethanol blended gasoline that damages marine fuel
tanks, engines and other components.
      "The price of gas is bad enough, but selling gasoline that dissolves
gas tanks is a new low even for the oil companies," said Brian Kabateck, the
lead attorney on the case. "The oil companies know this fuel is corrosive,
but they're keeping consumers in the dark to pump up their profits. The cost
to the consumer is thousands of dollars in repairs."

      Companies named in the suit include ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell,
Valero, and ConocoPhillips, as well as PetroDiamond, Tower Energy and Big
West.

      Oil companies have long mixed additives into their gasoline as a way
to boost octane. Methyl tert-butyl ether, commonly known as MTBE, was widely
used as an octane booster until 2004, when it was banned in many states
because of environmental concerns. In response, ExxonMobil, Chevron and
other oil companies selected ethanol as a replacement.

      Consumers were never informed about the differences between MTBE and
ethanol-mixed gasoline, nor were they informed about the disastrous effects
ethanol has on fiberglass marine fuel tanks.

      Fiberglass is widely used in the construction of boat fuel tanks.
Fiberglass is a combination of individual glass "threads" bound together by
a resin. Ethanol dissolves this resin, destroying the tank. Moreover, the
dissolved resin enters the fuel system, causing damage to the engine and
other components.

      Ethanol blended gasoline is particularly harmful in the marine
environment because of "phase separation," Kabateck said. Ethanol attracts
water. When enough water is absorbed by the ethanol blended gasoline, the
ethanol and water solution separates from the gasoline (phase separation),
with the gasoline floating to the top.

      This results in a layer of water with a high-concentration of ethanol
at the bottom of the fuel tank.

      "The environment pays the price for Exxon and Chevron's deception each
time a damaged fuel tank leaks gasoline into the water," Kabateck added.

      The suit was filed in U.S. District Court, Central District of
California in Los Angeles.

      The suit seeks to represent a class comprising all owners of boats
with fiberglass fuel tanks who filled their tanks with ethanol blended
gasoline from a California retailer. The suit also seeks to represent all
persons in California who own boats with a fiberglass fuel tank that had to
be replaced because of damage caused by ethanol blended gasoline bought from
a California retailer.

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