The wind appears to have gone out of the sails of GF-4, the proposed new gasoline engine oil scheduled for introduction into commercial service in spring 2004. Development of the specification has hit two sticking points: phosphorus limits and category life.
The Oct. 15 meeting of the ILSAC/OIL committee – created specifically to get GF-4 approved, and composed of representatives of oil,additive, and automobilecompanies- was cancelledby GMs Bob Olree, ILSAC/OILs chairman. No new meeting date has been scheduled. Olree stated, Until we get some answers we really didnt have anything to talk about.
Answers to what questions?Issues related to phosphorus limits and category life are the current focus, the American Petroleum Institute indicated.Olree agreed that these are the current sticking points.
The phosphorus limit is a longstanding issue which has been moving steadily toward resolution. For GF-4, phosphorus is likely to be set at a level of 0.08 percent, down from GF-3s maximum of 0.10 percent. Implicit in this issueis the matter of backward serviceability of GF-4 oil for earlier engines.
Category life is a relatively new sticking point which first surfaced in theSept. 5 ILSAC/OIL meeting.If ILSAC/OIL members cant reach consensus on [category life],” the minutes to that meeting note, “the Administrative Guidance Panelwill convene to consider dissolution of the Starburst system.
That is, if aminimum commercial life for GF-4 isnt agreed on, APIstrademarked starburst, and its engine oil licensing and certification system, could be brought down – either by API or ILSAC, each of which has authority to make that happen. TheAdministrative Guidance Panelconsists of three each oil and auto industry representatives which meets off camera periodically to hash out interindustry conflicts and hang-ups.
API summed up its approach to thesesticking points as follows. The API oil marketer representatives are preparing responses to the ILSAC questions. If these responses provide sufficient clarification for ILSAC another meeting will be scheduled and the process will proceed forward.
And if they dont, the process presumably stays becalmed.
APIs Lubricants Committee holds its regularly scheduled fall meeting in Houston on Nov. 11. API notes that these issues will be discussed by the full committee in open session.
Vehicle manufacturers dont have much wiggle room to get to GF-4. They need a new oil that maintains catalyst efficiency to 120,000 miles. This EPA requirement goes into effect with the 2004 model year vehicles. Theyve already postponed their commercialization date by one year to spring, 2004.
Lube Reportis picking up hints that the good feelings that have characterized the ILSAC/OIL negotiations on GF-4 to date are beginning to fray a bit at the edges and get a little testy.
ILSAC/OIL, which was supposed to fix the dysfunctional ASTMengine oil approval process, took more than a year to painfully construct. Most of this time was consumed by negotiations between API and ILSAC, with API attempting to soften ILSACs demand (which ultimately prevailed)for final voting control over specifications.
The current GF-4 roadblock suggests that traditional industry stances, starkly revealed in the GF-3 process conducted under ASTM auspices, are reasserting themselves in the GF-4 process conducted under ILSAC/OIL.