Did the API 2003 Spec Change affect 90W?

[SONICMASD]

Hi Guys,

I know that in 2003 API revised the specs and split the 75W-90 weight category into 75W-90 and 75W-110. I'm wondering if straight 90W was affected by this year's revisions as well? Like is a bottle of straight 90W oil today, the same stuff as what a manual in 2002 called for?

Thx!

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Why would it matter? 90W is 90W...?

So, the answer to your question is yes, 90W from 2002 is replaceable with 90W from 2019.

 

[SONICMASD]

Interesting. But if 90W is 90W, and 75W is 75W, and 80W is 80W, then how is it that 75W-110 in 2019 was 75W-90 in 2002?

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Well since you're obviously smarter than the rest of us, why didn't you ask yourself the initial question you posed to the board and keep the results to yourself?

 

[SONICMASD]

I'm literally asking - did straight weights get affected by the change or is there something in blends that only affected them? It's fine if you don't know the answer, join me.

 

[Bailes1992]

This was discussed here recently.

An SAE90 (90W would mean a winter grade) was split to form SAE110 because the gap between an SAE80 and SAE140 was massive.

I think, much like engine oil what is more important is the specification. If you require a GL-5 lube in your diff then that's what you should look for.

 

[kballowe]

Originally Posted by SONICMASD
Hi Guys,

I know that in 2003 API revised the specs and split the 75W-90 weight category into 75W-90 and 75W-110. I'm wondering if straight 90W was affected by this year's revisions as well? Like is a bottle of straight 90W oil today, the same stuff as what a manual in 2002 called for?

Thx!


Well...... maybe.

You know that the intended viscosity of the 90 grade gear oil was supposed to be on the lower end of the scale, BUT the gear oil specification was so broad that a 75W-90 and a 75W-110 and maybe even a 75W-140 could basically within the same spec. i.e. a company could simply relabel their "75W-90" as 75W-110". Close enough, they said. The same goes for any "straight grade" gear oil.

The manufacturers understood the scale and pretty much followed the original intent, so the answer to your question ? I would believe that the intended specification for a 90 grade gear oil in 2002 would be the same as 2019.

As you know, the API revised the specs in 2003 - and delineated that huge overlap into a couple more distinct scales.

Are you simply curious, or are you researching a gear oil for a particular specific application ?

 

[Y_K]

No, 90W is not 90W, it is ISO 220. This may help you in your search. 90W was not affected, the multi-viscosity garbage by clueless Standards people with their outdated Metrology was.
In todays speak "90W is a social construct".