International Oil and Lubricant Standards You Should Know

Are you looking to buy high-quality, high-performance lubricants that are effective but unsure what factors to rely on to evaluate the quality of motor oil and motorcycle oil? Don't worry. The following article will help you understand all the most common lubricant standards in the world today. Check it out now!

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Which lubricant standards for automobiles and motorcycles are recognized?

1. API

The API standard is a certification by the American Petroleum Institute to evaluate the quality of lubricants, including motor oil for automobiles. The API standard has been widely applied not only in the United States but worldwide since the 1960s. To better align with the development of increasingly advanced engines, the standard is revised every 4-5 years.

API evaluations are based on both chemical and physical properties derived from practical tests to quantify sludge deposits in engines, pistons, oxidation processes, wear of components, oil consumption levels, and fuel efficiency.

API has classification levels to evaluate the quality of automotive and diesel engine lubricants and gasoline engines. SJ, SL, SM, SN are the current classification levels for gasoline engines, while previous standards such as SB, SH, etc., are nearly obsolete. Current standards for diesel engines are API CK-4, CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, and CH-4.

API divides evaluation levels for lubricants specific to each engine type

2. ILSAC

ILSAC is the lubricant evaluation standard established by the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee in 2004, based on factors that help quantify sludge deposits in engines, wear resistance, environmental safety, and fuel efficiency.

The highest current ILSAC standard level is GF-6. GF-5 is still in use, while GF-1, GF-2, GF-3, and GF-4 are obsolete and no longer approved.

3. ACEA

ACEA is the abbreviation for the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers. ACEA also establishes standards to evaluate and classify lubricant quality. ACEA's