REGULATION
ILSAC GF-6: A Work in Progress
Dr. Raj Shah, and Mr. Christan Abraham, Koehler Instrument Company, Holtsville, NY ILSAC GF-1
Introduction
The automotive industry has been patiently awaiting ILSAC GF-6, a new engine oil category for passenger vehicles and light trucks in the United States. GF-6 has been a long and difficult road plagued with delays due to the unprecedented number of new engine tests and seemingly endless complications. Finally, at the Automotive Oil Advisory Panel (AOAP) meeting held on 3 April 2019, stakeholders agreed on final test limits, and first release has been balloted as of 1 May 2020. The new ILSAC specification comes in two parts, GF6A for legacy viscosity grades and GF6B for SAE XW-16 oils.
History
Prior to ILSAC’s formation in 1992, engine oil standards were issued under the Tripartite System headed by the following organisations: American Petroleum Institute (API), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)1
The ILSAC GF-1 standard indicates the oil meets both API SH and the Energy Conserving II (EC-II) requirements. It was created in 1990 and upgraded in 1992 and became the minimum requirement for oil used in American and Japanese automobiles.
ILSAC GF-2
ILSAC GF-2 replaced GF-1 in 1996. The oil must meet both API SJ and EC-II requirements. The GF-2 standards require 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-20, 5W-30, 5W-40, 5W-50, 10W-30, 10W-40 and 10W-50 motor oils to meet stringent requirements for phosphorus content, low temperature operation, high temperature deposits and foam control.
ILSAC GF-3
An ILSAC GF-3 an oil must meet both API SL and the EC-II requirements. The GF-3 standard has more stringent parameters regarding long-term effects of the oil on the vehicle emission system, improved fuel economy and improved volatility, deposit control and viscosity performance. The standard also requires less additive degradation and reduced oil consumption rates over the service life of the oil.
ILSAC GF-4
ILSAC GF-4 is similar to the API SM service category, but it requires an additional sequence VIB Fuel Economy Test (ASTM D6837).
. However, this conglomerate
was unable to meet the needs of the automobile industry in a timely manner. Thus, the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Japan Automotive Standards Organization (JASO) founded the International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) to quickly adapt to the rapidly changing landscape. The Tripartite System and ILSAC merged to form the Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOCLS). Each governing body in EOCLS has functions in a different capacity. ILSAC sets the minimum performance standards. While SAE determines the needs of engine oil specifications based on automaker inputs and market trends, ASTM develops tests and parameters for each specification provided by SAE. API licenses and certifies the engine oils.
40 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.153 OCTOBER 2019 ILSAC GF-5
Introduced in October 2010 for 2011 and older vehicles, designed to provide improved high temperature deposit protection for pistons and turbochargers, more stringent sludge control, improved fuel economy, enhanced emission control system compatibility, seal compatibility, and protection of engines operating on ethanol-containing fuels up to E85.
Figure 1: All licensed ILSAC engine oil standards2
Reasons for GF-6 ILSAC GF-1 through GF-4 have made gradual improvements to fuel economy and lubricant efficiency, but the current GF-5 standard has made significant advances. This change in tempo coincides with the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) legislation issued under the Obama Administration in 2010. As a result, a two-phase national programme was installed. Phase I affected
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