Still no definite timeline for first licensing of ILSAC GF-6
The Joint Auto-Oil Advisory Panel (AOAP), which met last week in Dearborn, Mich., U.S.A., has agreed not to release timelines for ILSAC GF-6 until test development is complete, according to Scott Lindholm who is co-chair of AOAP.
“We are nearly there, with only the Chain Wear and the Sequence IVB needing completion,” he said.
A more definitive timeline for the first licensing date of ILSAC GF-6, the next specification for passenger car motor oils (PCMO) being developed in the U.S. and Japan, was expected to be determined at last week’s meeting.
While most of the engine tests have completed their precision matrices, a requirement before each test is accepted as an ASTM test method, the precision matrix for the Sequence IVB engine valve train wear test has run into trouble.
“The report from the Sequence IVB Surveillance Panel indicated that their work will take them perhaps to January 2018 and Chain Wear may be approved in the next few months,” said Lindholm, who is global product application specialist for Shell Global Solutions.
“Timeline deadlines and options are being discussed but will firm up when all the tests are in hand,” he added.
The precision matrix for the Sequence IVB, a replacement test platform for the existing ASTM D6891 Sequence IVA, has been abandoned due to several concerns and a new round of precision matrix is planned to start in August. The Sequence IVB is a low-temperature cyclic test, with a total running duration of 200 hours. The Sequence IVB uses a Toyota 2NR-FE water-cooled, 4-cycle, in-line cylinder, 1.5-litre engine as the test apparatus.
Ford Motor Co. developed the chain wear test in a 2.0 L I-4 EcoBoost GDI-T engine to ensure that ILSAC GF-6 engine oils can meet the timing chain durability requirements in gasoline direct injection (GDI) and turbocharged (GDI-T) engines. Statisticians working on the precision matrix had recommended running 10 additional tests post-matrix. The additional tests have been completed. Statistical analysis and LTMS are pending completion of the operational review of the additional tests.
