Lubes and greases article.
SAE 16
SAE International has fully approved a
new viscosity grade, SAE 16, which
will take its place this spring in the SAE
J300 Standard as a lighter-weight alternative
to SAE 20 and other non-winter
engine oil grades.
The SAE J300 Engine Oil Viscosity
Classification task force agreed on the
limits for the new grade last summer,
according to Mike Covitch of Lubrizol,
who chairs the task force. SAE 16 then
was balloted through SAE Technical
Committee 1 on Engine Oils, and recently
advanced to full approval, he advises.
The new grade’s kinematic viscosity limits
were set at 6.1 mm2/s minimum to
s maximum, at 100 degrees C.
Its minimum high-temperature high-shear
rate viscosity is 2.3 mPa•sec at 150 C.
These limits got the official nod from the
SAE Fuels & Lubricants Council, which is
headed by Jim Linden of Linden
Consulting, at its Dec. 5 meeting in
Norfolk, Va.
As well, Covitch pointed out, the updated
SAE J300 standard will require tweaking
the kinematic viscosity limit at 100 C
for SAE 20 engine oils. The current minimum
KV100 limit for SAE xW-20 oils is
5.6 mm2/s, but that will rise to 6.9
mm2/s when the revised standard is published
in April.
SAE staff were asked to set an early
April 2013 publication date for the new
version of SAE J300, to give other industry
groups — such as the American
Petroleum Institute, the International
Lubricant Specification Advisory
Committee (ILSAC), the European
Automobile Manufacturers Association
(ACEA) and the technical association for
the European oil industry (ATIEL) — time
to revise their stay-in-grade requirements
for SAE xW-20 oils, if they wish to do so.
The concern, explained Covitch, is that
some current SAE xW-20 oils on the market
might shear out-of-grade according to
the new J300’s limits, whereas they were
classified as stay-in-grade under the old
standard. Although SAE J300 is a new-oil
viscosity classification standard, his task
force is aware that J300 is also used to
characterize a lubricant’s suitability for
continued use during service.
Covitch said API, ACEA and others who
set engine oil specifications have the
option of retaining the current 5.6 mm2/s
minimum KV100 for stay-in-grade viscosity
if they wish, but the new-oil minimum
for SAE xW-20 will be 6.9 mm2/s as of
April 2013.
Organizationally, the EOVC task force is
part of SAE TC-1, the forum where all balloting
to revise J300 is conducted.
Passing ballots next are balloted at the
Fuels & Lubricants Council level. Passing
the F&L ballot is the final stage for
approval of a new revision to SAE
Standards under its jurisdiction.
The new SAE 16 grade will have minimal
impact on the North American engine oil
market, since it is being specified by only
one automaker (Honda) for 2013 model
year engines. However, the advantages in
term of fuel economy will undoubtedly
encourage other OEMs to evaluate SAE
xW-16 engine oils in the future.
— Steve Swedberg
SAE 16
SAE International has fully approved a
new viscosity grade, SAE 16, which
will take its place this spring in the SAE
J300 Standard as a lighter-weight alternative
to SAE 20 and other non-winter
engine oil grades.
The SAE J300 Engine Oil Viscosity
Classification task force agreed on the
limits for the new grade last summer,
according to Mike Covitch of Lubrizol,
who chairs the task force. SAE 16 then
was balloted through SAE Technical
Committee 1 on Engine Oils, and recently
advanced to full approval, he advises.
The new grade’s kinematic viscosity limits
were set at 6.1 mm2/s minimum to
s maximum, at 100 degrees C.
Its minimum high-temperature high-shear
rate viscosity is 2.3 mPa•sec at 150 C.
These limits got the official nod from the
SAE Fuels & Lubricants Council, which is
headed by Jim Linden of Linden
Consulting, at its Dec. 5 meeting in
Norfolk, Va.
As well, Covitch pointed out, the updated
SAE J300 standard will require tweaking
the kinematic viscosity limit at 100 C
for SAE 20 engine oils. The current minimum
KV100 limit for SAE xW-20 oils is
5.6 mm2/s, but that will rise to 6.9
mm2/s when the revised standard is published
in April.
SAE staff were asked to set an early
April 2013 publication date for the new
version of SAE J300, to give other industry
groups — such as the American
Petroleum Institute, the International
Lubricant Specification Advisory
Committee (ILSAC), the European
Automobile Manufacturers Association
(ACEA) and the technical association for
the European oil industry (ATIEL) — time
to revise their stay-in-grade requirements
for SAE xW-20 oils, if they wish to do so.
The concern, explained Covitch, is that
some current SAE xW-20 oils on the market
might shear out-of-grade according to
the new J300’s limits, whereas they were
classified as stay-in-grade under the old
standard. Although SAE J300 is a new-oil
viscosity classification standard, his task
force is aware that J300 is also used to
characterize a lubricant’s suitability for
continued use during service.
Covitch said API, ACEA and others who
set engine oil specifications have the
option of retaining the current 5.6 mm2/s
minimum KV100 for stay-in-grade viscosity
if they wish, but the new-oil minimum
for SAE xW-20 will be 6.9 mm2/s as of
April 2013.
Organizationally, the EOVC task force is
part of SAE TC-1, the forum where all balloting
to revise J300 is conducted.
Passing ballots next are balloted at the
Fuels & Lubricants Council level. Passing
the F&L ballot is the final stage for
approval of a new revision to SAE
Standards under its jurisdiction.
The new SAE 16 grade will have minimal
impact on the North American engine oil
market, since it is being specified by only
one automaker (Honda) for 2013 model
year engines. However, the advantages in
term of fuel economy will undoubtedly
encourage other OEMs to evaluate SAE
xW-16 engine oils in the future.
— Steve Swedberg