Quote: Those are really silly remarks coming from you, Dan.
No, Olaf, those are remarks coming from my spending a great deal of time sifting through detailed traffic crash data as part of my work. When I comment on these kinds of matters professionally, it's important that I get it right. If I get it wrong, I quickly stop being able to afford to do neat things like buy food and sleep under a roof, so I go to great effort to get it right. I don't switch that off just because I'm not commenting here professionally.
Quote: Hannifin, who makes the Racor filters, is also one of the worlds largest suppliers of, among other things, equipment for the heavy vehicle industry, and they know very well what kind of abuse their products must be able to stand up to.
Products made for a particular application are made according to the needs and requirements for that particular application. Boat parts are not required to conform to automotive safety standards. Their compliance with whatever marine fuel system safety standards may exist does not imply suitability for on-road use. Boat parts need to withstand the kinds of forces that can happen in a boating accident; car parts need to withstand the kinds of forces that can happen in a car crash. There's probably some overlap, but not as much as you might think. Tiny, seemingly insignificant changes in the design or placement of car parts cause enormous differences in the crash safety performance of the car. You're smart enough to understand this; it's unfortunate you're choosing not to. Please try to keep in mind that a phenomenon does not stop being real simply because you don't understand it.
Quote: The Racor filters and mounting brackets are made from high-grade marine spec. aluminum
Good, but this is irrelevant to crashworthiness.
Quote: Both versions are capable of withstanding temperatures down to -40°C
Good, but irrelevant to crashworthiness.
Quote: I have seen a tool handle buried almost 2 inches deep in a wooden beam, after having been thrown across the room in a fishing boat, caused by a 'little slap' from a freak wave. I have also seen high-quality 30 ft speed boat hull split lengthwise from impacts with the sea alone.
Spectacular, but irrelevant to traffic crashes.
Quote: you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about when referring to crashworthiness in boats.
I'm talking about crashworthiness in cars. And that, Olaf, I do have a great deal of knowledge about. Probably more than you.
Quote: The placement of the filter in the engine room will also have far greater impact on the result of a crash, rather than what type of filter it is.
Citation needed.  In reality, both factors are probably of roughly equal importance.
Quote: it is mounted on the suction side of the fuel pump, so after a crash resulting in a broken filter and with the engine still running, fuel will not be sprayed all over the engine room
It certainly could be; you've got a container holding several cups of gasoline that could easily be dislodged and ruptured in a crash. That could easily cause a great deal more of a gasoline spray than could the measly 4 pounds' pressure and small volume from the fuel pump when the engine's running. Taking a broader look, we're talking about having a fairly large amount of gasoline in a place near the passenger compartment where it could see very large forces in a crash. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a terrible idea that shouldn't be done, but it does mean your ignorant, dismissive attitude towards the safety issue is not thoughtful or appropriate.
Quote: According to US statistics, car fires cause more deaths than apartment fires
Perhaps. Citation needed. If it's true, that argues for my point -- not yours. Fortunately for all of us, relatively few people die in car fires; it's not one of the major causes of traffic-related injury and death. That doesn't mean it's wise to make changes to a car that could reasonably be foreseen to worsen the fire danger in a crash, though; too many people do get badly injured or killed by car fires.
Quote: App. 75% of highway vehicle fires are caused by mechanical failures or malfunctions. Vehicle fires caused by collisions are responsible for almost 60% of vehicle fire deaths.
More support for my position -- not yours.
Quote: I would be delighted to hear your description of the crashworthiness of any of the other fuel system components in our 35 to 50 year old cars
Use the board's search function. You're certainly right that our old cars are not safe. That, however, is a really lame justification for making them less safe.
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