Federal-Mogul Corporation, headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, was a diversified industrial manufacturer producing bearings, gaskets, seals, pistons, and friction materials for automotive and industrial applications — including products used in US Navy diesel engine and machinery maintenance operations. Federal-Mogul’s Fel-Pro gasket division manufactured asbestos-containing head gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, and valve cover gaskets used in Navy diesel engine maintenance, while other Federal-Mogul divisions supplied friction materials for Navy brake and clutch applications.

Asbestos in Federal-Mogul/Fel-Pro Gasket Products

Federal-Mogul’s Fel-Pro gasket product line used asbestos as the primary sealing material in engine gasket products:

  • Diesel engine head gaskets — the Fel-Pro engine head gaskets used in Navy diesel engine overhaul maintenance contained compressed asbestos as the primary sealing material in the multi-layer gasket construction. Enginemen (EN) and Machinist’s Mates (MM) performing diesel engine overhaul work on Navy vessels removed old asbestos head gaskets and installed new asbestos replacement gaskets at each engine overhaul interval, with gasket removal and surface preparation operations releasing asbestos fibers
  • Exhaust manifold gaskets — diesel engine exhaust manifold gaskets in Federal-Mogul/Fel-Pro’s product line used asbestos sheet gasket material for the high-temperature sealing at the cylinder head-to-manifold joint. Enginemen replacing exhaust manifold gaskets during engine maintenance disturbed asbestos manifold gaskets at each replacement
  • Valve cover and pan gaskets — the valve cover gaskets and oil pan gaskets in Navy diesel engine applications used asbestos-reinforced cork or asbestos-containing rubber gasket materials in Federal-Mogul’s product specifications

Diesel Engine Applications in Navy Service

Federal-Mogul gasket products appeared in multiple Navy diesel engine maintenance applications:

  • Ship’s service diesel generators — the diesel generators providing emergency or ship’s service electrical power aboard Navy surface ships and submarines used diesel engine gasket sets including Federal-Mogul products in scheduled engine overhaul maintenance
  • Small craft diesel engines — Navy small boats, utility craft, and amphibious vehicles maintained at naval stations used diesel engines maintained with Federal-Mogul gasket products during routine engine overhaul
  • Shore facility diesel generators — the emergency power generators at naval stations and air stations used diesel engines maintained with asbestos gasket sets from Federal-Mogul and other gasket manufacturers

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Federal-Mogul Corporation Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from engine gasket maintenance in Navy applications. Engineering ratings who performed diesel engine overhaul using Federal-Mogul/Fel-Pro gasket products and similar asbestos-containing engine gaskets and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.