What is API specification oil?

The service rating of passenger car and commercial automotive motor oils is classified by the American Petroleum Institute (API). The program certifies that an oil meets certain Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) quality and performance standards. It specifies the viscosity grade required for your car’s engine.

What is the API oil rating?

API stands for the American Petroleum Institute. The organization evaluates every blend of motor oil. It assigns an API rating to motor oil blends that meet ILSAC’s current standards. ILSAC stands for International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee.

What does API SN mean on oil?

In 2010 the American Petroleum Institute introduced a new engine oil category under the name API SN and a new supplemental category called Resource Conserving. The API SN category is an improvement over the API SM category in the following areas: High temperature deposit protection for pistons.

What is API CI 4 SL?

Fully synthetic diesel engine oil exceeding the most demanding European specifications and meeting the market demands for fuel efficient oils. It is formulated with selected synthetic base fluids and additives offering the best performance available for modern diesel engines.

What does API spec mean on engine oil?

API Spec is a very common sight, in fact you’ll find one on almost all engine oil, but what does it all mean? API (American Petroleum Institute) specifications are often seen on oil containers and they show the minimum standard of oil that can be used in an engine.

What are the new API standards for lubricants?

API’s Lubricants Standards Group approved by letter ballot the adoption of two new ILSAC specifications, GF-6A and GF-6B, and a new API Service Category, API SP.

How does the API oil classification system work?

In the USA, the API oil classification system provides a simple designation for engine oils to ensure that the proper type of oil is selected for an engine. Oil classification systems have been also in place in the EU and Japan.

Can you measure the quality of an oil by API?

You can’t really use the API specifications to measure the quality of an oil as many of the top end ester based oils meet API SL rather than the latest API SM specification Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limit.