Enemalta Corporation’s explanation as to what caused wide-ranging diesel pump leaks has provided little solace for the hundreds of car owners who had to pay between €150 and €240 to have the pump repaired, besides their cars being laid up for weeks on end awaiting repairs to their damaged pumps.

Nor has it provided much by way of a concrete explanation, according to mechanics, who are refraining from providing guarantees that the same problems would not crop up again, despite assurances from Enemalta that the costly and lengthy repairs are a one-off tribulation.

It also emerges that the same allegedly tainted diesel had found its way into motorists’ fuel tanks several other times over the past few years, albeit the quantity of substance added had always been lower than it has been over the past five weeks, The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt.

Information gathered by this newspaper following last week’s report on the matter, reveals that the same rubber seals problem had occurred, on a much smaller scale, a number of times over the past couple of years.

This, according to experts in the field of diesel pump repairs, indicates the substance causing the pumps’ seals to shrink had been added in smaller doses in the past and, as a result, the earlier problems had persisted for a shorter duration and affected a smaller number of vehicles.

A statement issued by Enemalta last Sunday in reaction to last week’s cover story acknowledged that complaints had been pouring in from motorists, who pointed fingers at the quality of diesel being supplied.

The Corporation added that it has been selling ‘sulphur free’ diesel since January, according to an EU directive limiting the sulphur content in diesel fuel to 10 parts per million.

Enemalta suggested that the lower sulphur content might cause the diesel pumps’ rubber seals to contract and spring leaks, and advised diesel vehicle owners to replace the rubber seal only if their pump is leaking.

Mechanics speaking to this newspaper, however, observe that a multitude of vehicles began springing leaks some five weeks ago, although Enemalta has been supplying the lower sulphur diesel since January. According to the mechanics, the time lapse between January and the emergence of mass leakages last month is too long to make sense, while the fact that the problem has been on such a wide scale indicates the addition of a damaging substance to the country’s diesel supply.

Investigations carried out last week showed that diesel fuel currently on sale at Malta’s petrol stations is damaging diesel injector fuel pumps, causing the rubber seals to shrink and develop heavy leaks.

Apart from lengthy and costly repairs, the situation has also caused numerous diesel trails on the roads – creating a number of potential hazards for motorists.

Moreover, all rubber connections related to diesel fuel injector pumps – such as rubber pipes that connect fuel lines to filters and to the pumps themselves – are literally disintegrating.

The state of affairs, according to mechanics, is unprecedented on such a scale, and enforces their already strong belief that a substance must have been added to the fuel itself – subsequently corroding all rubber parts coming into contact with the fuel.

The severity of the problem had never been fully exposed as it has been over the past week, as hundreds of motorists continued to rue their misfortune.

Following last Sunday’s story exposing the widespread problem, a significant number of irate motorists contacted this newspaper to vent their frustration and to seek advice on whether they could have a case for legal recourse to recoup their expenses.

While this newspaper last week conservatively estimated repair costs at €150, motorists contend that €240 is a more realistic figure.

The most indignant were owners of small companies who typically use their vehicle to deliver goods or run important errands. Some complained they had been forced to incur extra expenses by renting vehicles while their own lay idle awaiting repairs.

Ad hoc visits to mechanics throughout the week confirmed that the problem persists. What is worrying, though, is that mechanics are not providing guarantees that leaks would not recur, even though original item parts are being installed, since the substance causing the leak remains unknown.