If you care about what you feed your truck, if you’re the kind of contractor who only wants the best for his vehicles, you’ll be pleased to know there are some new lube oil standards coming down the turnpike for spark-ignited gasoline engines.
The new oils are said to offer greater engine protection and fuel efficiency for today’s cars and trucks.
Two of the new standards, ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B, are the latest in a line of more stringent performance specifications put forward by the International Lubricant Standardization Advisory Committee (ILSAC). A third standard, AP SP, is API’s latest engine oil performance standard.
“API developed these new performance standards in response to a request from automakers to introduce more robust engine oils that would be capable of meeting the needs of current and future gasoline engines,” says Kevin Ferrick, director, API Product Programs.
Starting May 1, 2020, licensed oils that meet the ILSAC GF-6A standard will be allowed to display the API Certification Mark “Starburst” and may be used where oils meeting GF-5 or earlier gasoline engine oil standards had been recommended.
Oils that meet ILSAC GF-6B will be allowed to display a new mark, the API Certification Mark “Shield,” and may be used where SAE 0W-16 oils meeting API SN had been recommended. API is introducing this new “Shield” at the request of automakers to prevent confusion and ensure that 0W-16 oils are used only in applications where they are recommended.
