Standards organisation, SAE International is set to add a new viscosity grade to its latest engine oil standards.
After a lengthy process, the voting is finally complete and SAE 16 is now ready to be added to the SAE J300 Engine Oil Viscosity Classification schedule, due to be updated in April 2013 according to Lube Report.
Chaired by Lubrizol's Mike Covitch, the SAE J300 Task Force agreed the viscosity limits mid-2012 and then took the standard, which is a lighter alternative to the existing SAE 20 specification, through the full ballot process.
With final approval from SAE's Fuel and Lubricants Council at the end of 2012, SAE 16 is now ready to be added to the J300 Classification, with publication being delayed long enough to allow other industry regulators - such as API, ILSAC and ACEA - time if they wish to amend their kinematic viscosity (KV) requirements of existing lubricants to stay-in-grade and still meet their SAE xW-20 spec.
The new SAE 16 KV limits have been agreed at 6.1 mm2/s minimum to <8.2 mm2/s maximum, at 100 degrees C. The SAE 20 specification will be raised from 5.6 mm2/s minimum KV100 to a 6.9 mm2/s minimum for new oil as of April 2013.