Understanding the ILSAC Standard for Passenger Car Engine Oils

As automotive technology advances, the engines in our vehicles are becoming more sophisticated and efficient. Today’s engines are designed to deliver more power while using less fuel, thanks to innovations like turbocharging, direct injection, and variable valve timing. However, these advancements also create new challenges in engine maintenance. With increased power output and tighter tolerances, the demands on motor oils have changed significantly.

This is where International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) standards come into play. Formed back in 1992 by some of the biggest names in the auto industry—Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, and the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) these standards set essential performance benchmarks for passenger car motor oils (PCMO) to ensure they meet the evolving needs of modern engines.

When it comes to ILSAC Standard for Passenger Car Engine Oils, for automotive gasoline engines, it’s important to know that the latest ILSAC standard includes the performance properties of each category before it. This can be used to service older engines, especially where earlier category oils were recommended.

But why should you care about ILSAC standards? Because using the right motor oil can mean the difference between a well-protected engine and costly repairs down the line.

In this blog, you will learn more about the ILSAC standard for passenger car engine oils, with a focus on Caltex products with specifications such as ILSAC GF-6A and ILSAC GF-5. 

An overview of ILSAC GF-6A for passenger car engine oils 

Effective May 1, 2020, the ILSAC GF-6A’s minimum performance standards for engine oils for spark-ignited internal combustion engines specifies the minimum performance requirements (both engine sequence and bench tests) and chemical and physical properties for engine oils. Overall, the requirements and criterion for the ILSAC GF-6A standards for passenger car engine oils range from viscosity requirements and grades, high temperature/high shear, engine test requirements that include wear and oil thickening, engine sludge, varnish, oil ring clogging, filterability and fuel efficiency, among others.

The attributes of ILSAC GF-6A are as follows: 

• Backward compatibility: Suitable for use in both modern and older engines.
• Enhanced durability: Designed to reduce the risk of Low-Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) in turbocharged engines.
• Improved fuel efficiency: Demonstrates strong fuel economy performance, as verified by the Sequence VIE test.
• Viscosity coverage: Applicable for oils in the SAE 0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, and 10W-30 viscosity grades.
• High-temperature performance: For XW-20 oils, the minimum High-Temperature High-Shear (HTHS) viscosity is 2.6; for XW-30 oils, the minimum HTHS viscosity is 2.9.
  

ILSAC GF-6 offers significant advantages over GF-5 in key areas such as:

• Fuel economy and retention: Delivers better initial fuel efficiency and maintains it over time.
• Engine durability: Provides superior protection for longer engine life.
• Wear protection: Optimized for engines with idle-stop systems to minimize wear during restarts.
• Low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI) prevention: Better protection against LSPI in modern turbocharged engines.

An overview of ILSAC GF-5 for passenger car engine oils

ILSAC GF-5 defines the performance requirements for engine oils for use in 2011 model-year vehicles. Development of ILSAC GF-5 targeted key performance improvements relative to ILSAC GF-4:

• Enhanced fuel economy and retention.
• Better protection for emission-control systems.

Other attributes include:

• Controlling sludge, deposits, and oxidation.
• Addressing low-temperature viscosity and corrosion.
• Protecting turbochargers and preventing filter clogging

Since it was rendered obsolete on April 30, 2021, vehicle owners can use GF-6A where GF-5 is recommended.

To conclude, as a vehicle owner, understanding the ILSAC Standard for Passenger Car Engine Oils, can help you achieve seamless driving in different driving conditions without the fear of unpleasant consequences such as guttering engines, unexpected downtime and reduced engine longevity.