ACEA vs API oils

[Doug Hillary]

Hi,
badtic - This statement highlights the compliance "costs":

CONDITIONS FOR USE OF PERFORMANCE CLAIMS AGAINST THE ACEA OIL SEQUENCES

ACEA requires that any claims for Oil performance to meet these sequences must be based on credible data and controlled tests in accredited test laboratories.

ACEA requires that engine performance testing used to support a claim of compliance with these ACEA sequences should be generated according to the European Engine Lubricants Quality Management System (EELQMS), but ACEA reserves the right to define alternatives in exceptional cases.

EELQMS which is described in the ATIEL Code of Practice1, addresses product development testing and product performance documentation, and involves the registration of all candidate and reference oil testing and defines the compliance process. Compliance with the ATIEL Code of Practice is mandatory for any claim to meet the requirements of the 2012 issue of the ACEA sequences.

Therefore ACEA requires that claims against the ACEA oil sequences can only be made by oil companies or oil distributors who have signed the EELQMS oil marketers’ Letter of Conformance (for details: www.atiel.org).

 

[badtlc]

None of what you added mentions additional fees or licensing costs to say an oil meets an ACEA spec. It only outlines what qualifcation a manufacturer must have to say the spec is met.

 

[Garak]

I've read what Doug posted before, on the ACEA site. Yes, they don't have to pay a fee to have an ACEA specification on the bottle. However, if they have that specification on the bottle, they have to be able to back it up with appropriate testing and have that information ready and available prior to making the claim.

 

[Doug Hillary]

Hi,
badtic - I said this;

"This statement highlights the compliance "costs":"

Typically they are considerable

 

[fdcg27]

Or, the oil blender merely uses the terms "meets or exceeds" and there's no cost at all.
If the blender knows that the oil will in fact meet a spec, he can use those terms without worry.
No name brand blender would claim that its products meet a spec they can't, either.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Or, the oil blender merely uses the terms "meets or exceeds" and there's no cost at all.
If the blender knows that the oil will in fact meet a spec, he can use those terms without worry.
No name brand blender would claim that its products meet a spec they can't, either.


I'm not sure on the wording "meets or exceeds", as Mobil uses this on their PDS's for specifications they clearly are approved for, such as API SN, ACEA A1/B1....etc. They have a separate section "Recommended for" which has the approvals that they are not formally approved for.

 

[Garak]

Yep. For Mobil 1 0w-40, for instance, they have the meets or exceeds wording for the ACEA and API specs, and formal builder approvals for most of the European OEM specifications (the same wording used for Mobil 1 5w30 dexos1 and HTO-06), and the recommended for wording for the rest.