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The link to the ACEA testing is http://www.acea.be where you can find the minimum tests that oils in Europe must go through. Most manufacturers add tests on their own to meet their own specs.
As far as sludge is concerned, both API/ILSAC and ACEA request the low temperature “blow-by” sludge test ASTM D6593. This test covers the resistance of oil to the “natural” contamination of engine oil (at low temperature). That’s good, but that is no longer enough.
ACEA went further and requests the “black sludge” test M111. This is a test performed at much higher temperature, higher RPM, more representative of real conditions encountered by modern cars. Most oils sold in North America do not pass this test. All oils sold in Europe MUST pass this test. The lab guys who make the formula of the oil then work consequently…
The “ACEA Service A1/A5”, where the oil maker recommends his oil for applications where ACEA is requested but may take some liberty with the ACEA certification system (ACEA can be A1/B1 or A5/B5, but not A1/A5. Also, since 2004, A1/B1 is obsolete. refer to http://www.acea.be ). A good question to ask the oil maker would be whether they can produce the results of their oil per the very well-known M111 sludge test…
Regarding the ILSAC certification system, I found two articles:
- one on the Sequence VI B “fuel economy” test included in the ILSAC certification system. This technical opinion reflects fairly well that of ELF tech guys (5W30 vs 5W20 document).
- the ILSAC GF-5 meeting documents illustrates to me the problems with GF-4. The GF-4 certification was already delayed by 18 months because of the lack of consensus. The technical improvements listed for GF-5 are quite ambitious, but are going to be ever harder to reconcile in one consensual spec: more manufacturers are likely to start using their own certification system instead of the ILSAC one…
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I'll find the actual articles and post them later.
posted by 70.57.22...
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