Was Cleveland Diesel Division (GM Winton) — 278A Navy Submarine Main Propulsion asbestos documented in litigation?

Cleveland Diesel Division (GM Winton) — 278A Navy Submarine Main Propulsion is documented in public asbestos litigation records as a manufacturer whose products contained asbestos during the mid-twentieth century. Workers in industrial facilities, power plants, refineries, shipyards, and commercial construction who handled or worked near these products may have experienced occupational exposure.

Which trades had the most exposure?

Pipe coverers and insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, millwrights, and maintenance workers are among the trades most frequently documented in asbestos exposure claims. Workers who cut, fitted, or removed asbestos-containing products — and those working in close proximity during that work — typically had the highest fiber concentrations.

How long do workers have to file an asbestos claim?

Statutes of limitations for asbestos personal injury claims vary by state, typically ranging from one to five years from the date of an asbestos-related diagnosis. The clock generally starts at diagnosis, not exposure — mesothelioma can have a latency period of 20 to 50 years. An asbestos attorney can identify the deadlines that apply to your specific situation.

Can workers file claims related to Cleveland Diesel Division (GM Winton) — 278A Navy Submarine Main Propulsion asbestos exposure?

Yes. Workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis after exposure to Cleveland Diesel Division (GM Winton) — 278A Navy Submarine Main Propulsion products may pursue claims through civil litigation. An experienced asbestos attorney can assess available defendants, applicable trust funds from co-defendants, and the states where claims can be filed most effectively.

Can family members file secondary exposure claims?

Spouses, children, and household members who developed asbestos-related disease through contact with contaminated work clothing brought home by an exposed worker may be eligible for secondary (household) exposure claims. Wrongful-death claims can also be filed by surviving family members of workers who died from asbestos-related disease.

Gaskets

Cleveland Diesel 278A V16 Main Propulsion Diesel Gaskets (Fleet Submarine Engine Room)

⚖ Litigation Record1940–1960s (in-service through 1970s)Compressed asbestos-fiber sheet gaskets, asbestos-graphite composite gaskets, and asbestos rope/braided packing allegedly used at the 278A's exhaust manifold flanges, air-box handhole covers, cylinder liner seating rings, turbo-blower housing joints, and jacket-water piping; submarine motor machinist's mates (MoMM) and enginemen were allegedly exposed in the confined engine-room space during at-sea overhauls and shipyard availabilities.

Overview Product Facts Trades

Litigation Record: Information below reflects allegations in publicly filed asbestos litigation — plaintiff allegations, not findings of fact.

Product Description

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that the Cleveland Diesel Division (a GM division descended from the Winton Engine Corporation) Model 278A V16 two-stroke diesel — the dominant main propulsion engine of the U.S. fleet-submarine force through World War II and the immediate post-war era — was assembled and repeatedly overhauled using asbestos-containing gaskets, packing, and sealing components throughout the engine room.

The 278A powered the Gato, Balao, and Tench classes of fleet submarines, competing with the Fairbanks-Morse Model 38 opposed-piston engine for that role; different boats received different engine makers depending on builder and hull number, but both makers’ engines allegedly relied on asbestos-based sealing technology at the same interfaces. Litigation records describe alleged chrysotile-bearing gasket material at the 278A’s exhaust manifold and elbow flanges, at the air-box handhole and inspection covers, at the cylinder-liner seating rings inside the crankcase, at the turbo-blower housing mounting flange, at jacket-water and lube-oil piping unions, and at the exhaust piping runs leading to the muffler/riser and hull penetration.

The exposure mechanism was aggravated by the geometry of the submarine engine room: two 278A V16 mains and two auxiliary diesels were packed into a compartment measured in tens of feet, ventilated by machinery-space blowers that recirculated engine-room air. Motor machinist’s mates (MoMM) allegedly performed cylinder-liner changes, blower rebuilds, and exhaust manifold gasket replacements at sea and pierside, scraping baked-on gasket residue in a confined space with limited fresh-air makeup.

Workers Exposed

Motor machinist’s mates (MoMM) on Gato, Balao, and Tench-class fleet submarines through WWII and the early Cold War
Enginemen (EN) who succeeded the MoMM rating post-1948, standing engine-room watches and performing overhauls on 278A-powered boats
Shipyard diesel mechanics at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Electric Boat (Groton), and other yards performing overhaul work on 278A mains during refit availabilities
Insulators (lagging pipefitters) stripping and reapplying asbestos lagging on exhaust piping around the 278A during overhauls
Machinist mates (MM) who cross-decked into engine-room work on fleet subs and later diesel-electric boats

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Product Facts

Trade NameCleveland Diesel 278A V16 Main Propulsion Diesel Gaskets (Fleet Submarine Engine Room)

Years Produced1940–1960s (in-service through 1970s)

Asbestos ContentCompressed asbestos-fiber sheet gaskets, asbestos-graphite composite gaskets, and asbestos rope/braided packing allegedly used at the 278A's exhaust manifold flanges, air-box handhole covers, cylinder liner seating rings, turbo-blower housing joints, and jacket-water piping; submarine motor machinist's mates (MoMM) and enginemen were allegedly exposed in the confined engine-room space during at-sea overhauls and shipyard availabilities.

CategoryGaskets Gaskets-Packing Marine

Trust FundNo active trust

Exposed Trades & Occupations

Motor Machinist's MateEnginemanNavy Machinist MateShipyard Diesel Mechanic

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