API Engine Oil Licensees:
Three new gasoline engine oil standards may be approved in April 2019. If approved, ILSAC GF-6A will replace the current standard behind the API Starburst (ILSAC GF-5); ILSAC GF-6B will be a separate standard for SAE 0W-16 oils and will be identified by a new API engine oil certification mark; and API SP will serve as the latest API "S" Service Category.
When new engine oil standards are adopted, API institutes a waiting period to allow oil marketers time to blend and stage oils meeting the standards. Traditionally, API sets this waiting period at 1 year. The waiting period is the time between standards approval and the date properly licensed oils are permitted to display API certification marks on the oils meeting the new standards. If ILSAC GF-6A, GF-6B, and API SP are approved in April 2019, this would signal the start of the waiting period and properly licensed oil marketers would be permitted to display the API certification marks on oils meeting the new standards in April 2020.
As you consider the steps necessary to blend and stage oils meeting the new standards, please also consider whether a 1-year waiting period starting in April 2019 would provide enough time for your organization to bring GF-6A, GF-6B, and API SP oils to the marketplace. If 1 year is sufficient, please take a moment to confirm this by email to API at teameolcs@api.org. API also wants to hear if your organization requires more or less than 1 year. Responses to this survey are due by March 27, 2019.
Note: No responses will be attributed to specific oil marketers.