The Japanese Automotive Standards Organization is preparing for adoption next month of a new specification for ultra-low-viscosity 0W-12 and 0W-8 passenger car motor oils, GLV-1, with plans to introduce it to market in October.
The specifications have been completed, and there will be a half-year waiting period [from April] and implementation will start in October, Yamamori Kazuo, of Toyota Motor Corp., told Lube Report in an email Thursday.
An official from Nissan Motor Co. discussed GLV-1 at an industry conference in London last month.
We plan to have the final approval next week on the March 15th, Sagawa Takumaru,deputy general manager in the Materials Engineering Department ofNissan Motor Co., told a reporter Saturday in response to a question following up on his presentation at the ICIS World Base Oils & Lubricants Conference.
Japanese carmakers took the rare step of developing a Japanese passenger car motor oil specification because of a disconnect with North American automakers on oil viscosity. Japanese original equipment manufacturers typically develop their own standards for engine oils used in heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles but partner with North American counterparts to develop International Lubricant Standardization and Advisory Committeeand API specs for PCMOs.
The Japanese carmakers, however, have been pioneering the use of ultra-low-viscosity oils and are now recommending use of SAE 0W-12 and SAE 0W-8 oils for some models. GF-6, the specification current under development by ILSAC and expected to be introduced in 2020, does not cover those viscosity grades.
Low viscosity engine oil is an important item for fuel efficiency and until now, there were no specifications for oils of viscosity below 0W-16, Yamamori said, explaining that Japanese OEMs are pushing viscosity boundaries as part of their efforts to meet strict regulations on tailpipe emissions of carbon dioxide. Also, there was a strong request from Japanese car manufacturers to develop specifications for 0W-8 and 0W-12.
GLV-1 includes three performance tests:
- JASO M364:2019 Automobile Gasoline Engine Oils;
- JASO M365:2019 Automobile Gasoline Engine Oils – Motoring Fuel Economy Test Procedure;
- and JASO M366:2019 Automobile Gasoline Engine Oils – Firing Fuel Economy Test Procedure.
For fuel economy, the Nissan MR20DD Motoring Test or Toyota 2ZR-FXE Firing Test will be used, he said. The specification sets a maximum limit for Noack volatility – 15 percent – but sets no requirement for viscosity index.
This is a JASO specification, so it is a Japanese specification, but if automotive manufacturers introduce vehicles using 0W-8 lubricants globally, the GLV-1 specification for engine oils is necessary, Yamamori added. In the future, we also plan to look into introducing it into the ILSAC specifications, beginning with GF-7.
“We plan to have the final approval next week on the March 15th,” said Sagawa Takumaru,Deputy General Manager,Materials Engineering Department ofNissan Motor Co.