Both API SJ and SL are recommended for the Subaru engine. What is the difference between the SJ and the latest SL specifications? Is there any tangable advantage in using SL over SJ?
JohnD

 

Hopefully this will help, ACEA is also useful as it's the european equivalent and also tougher in many areas to meet.

API = American Petroleum Institute
S = Service - Petrol Engine Performance
C = Commercisl - Diesel Engine Performance

PETROL

SG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.

SH - Introduced 1993 has same engine tests as SG, but includes phosphorus limit 0.12%, together with control of foam, volatility and shear stability.

SJ - Introduced 1996 has the same engine tests as SG/SH, but phosphorus limit 0.10% together with variation on volatility limits

SL - Introduced 2001, all new engine tests reflective of modern engine designs meeting current emmissions standards

DIESEL

CD - Introduced 1955, international standard for turbo diesel engine oils for many years, uses single cylinder test engine only

CE - Introduced 1984, improved control of oil consumption, oil thickening, piston deposits an wear, uses additional multi cylinder test engines

CF4 - Introduced 1990, further improvements in control of oil consumption and piston deposits, uses low emmission test engine

CF - Introduced 1994, modernised version of CD, reverts to single cylinder low emission test engine. Intended for certain indirect injection engines

CF2 - Introduced 1994, defines effective control of cylinder deposits and ring face scuffing, intended for 2 stroke diesel engines

CG4 - Introduced 1994, development of CF4 giving improved control of piston deposits, wear, oxidation stability and soot entrainment. Uses low sulphur diesel fuel in engine tests

CH4 - Introduced 1998, development of CG4, giving further improvements in control of soot related wear and piston deposits, uses more comprehensive engine test program to include low and high sulphur fuelsSG - Introduced 1989 has much more active dispersant to combat black sludge.

If your owner's manual calls for an SJ rated oil, and you can’t find any oils that list the SJ Rating, don’t worry. All API ratings are backward compatible. Therefore, an SL rated oil will be just fine for an SJ, SH or SG rated vehicle. However, on a newer vehicle that calls for an SL rated oil, it is not recommended that you use an oil that does not indicate that it meets the SL standard.

One point about API specifications.

API specifications are minimum specifications for oils. They exist for your safety so that you have reasonable assurance that an oil will "adequately" protect your engine. However, these are not, by any means, a standard by which you could determine whether an oil was good or not. As an example, you'll find that even a cheap oil which costs next to nothing will most likely carry the API SL rating. That should tell you something about how hard it is to attain that rating.

ACEA Specifications
(Association des Constructeurs Europeens d’Automobiles)

ACEA ratings are prefixed with “A” for petrol, “B” for light or passenger car diesel and “E” for heavy duty diesel.

The current specifications are:

A1 Fuel economy petrol
A2 Standard performance level
A3 High performance and/or extended drain
A4 Reserved for future use in certain direct injection engines
A5 Combines A1 fuel economy with A3 performance

B1 Fuel economy diesel
B2 Standard performance level
B3 High performance and/or extended drain
B4 For direct injection car diesel engines
B5 Combines B1 fuel economy with B3/B4 performance

E1 Non-turbocharged light duty diesel engines
E2 Standard performance level
E3 High performance and extended drain
E4 Higher performance and longer extended drain
E5 High performance and long drain plus API performances

At the end of the day it's more important that you use a known quality oil and that you are getting what you pay for. Just PM me if you'd like advice.

Cheers
Simon

 

Hello Oilman!

Are CCMC (now ACEA) classifications same as ACEA's ?

 

CCMC was replaced by ACEA and is now not valid.

Cheers
Simon

 

I wonder that ACEA's does Motul 300V 5W-40 Power have?

 

Have a look for yourself, the tech data is here:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/lubricants.htm

Cheers
Simon