Can someone explain API Service SM?

devilgt · Mar 29, 2004

Hi,
Theres so much knowledge in this forum it's overwhelming!

. Will need the next few months to digest everything. Anyway can someone explain what the new API Service 'SM' is all about? Petronas(of SauberPetronas F1 team) now sell oils with API SM service. Apart from SM being used as a marketing tool what does it signify?

TallPaul · Mar 29, 2004

I was not aware that any oil rated SM was on the store shelves yet.

Patman · Mar 30, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by TallPaul:
I was not aware that any oil rated SM was on the store shelves yet.

It's not. Here is an excerpt from the recent Lubes N Greases report I got in my email this morning:

quote:

API SM: Shorthand for "Still Marooned"?
How soon will the American Petroleum Institute begin licensing the new SM and GF-4 passenger car engine oils? Would two API "donuts" be better than one on motor oil containers? Is a public awareness campaign needed to explain the coming engine oil upgrade? All this and more was debated - but not decided - at a recent API Lubricants Committee meeting in Baltimore.

cryptokid · Mar 30, 2004

anyone know what happen to sk? why they skip k and go to l?

RB Shannon · Mar 30, 2004

I believe this was done to avoid some confusion of sorts, I believe at least one set of initials were the same as an Asian lube manufacturer, I think I might have seen this in Lube's&Greases about a year ago.

csandste · Mar 31, 2004

Why there's no SK:

http://www.sk.com/skco/energy_chem/energy_chem_corp_b.asp

widman · Mar 31, 2004

SI was skipped for being an international measuring system. SK as mentioned above. They are a competitor here.

JohnnyG · Mar 31, 2004

I think it should be called S&M oil, that would justify some of the punishment my favorite oil brands have been taking here lately! LOL

TallPaul · Mar 31, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by cryptokid:
anyone know what happen to sk? why they skip k and go to l?

I think they skipped SI also. Apparently, they just don't like some letters. Maybe to avoid confusion. After SM I expect they would skip the similar looking SN. SO dosen't look right either, so the next after SM maybe would be SP.

emal · Apr 4, 2004

hello, a newbie here.
anyway this is the specs about the new petronas engine oil. can u tell whether it is good.
BTW in malaysia we dont have AMSOIL and REDLINE engine oil and our mobil 1 only have the 1w-40 and 5w-50.
1) the specs
2) the story about the oil 3) the story about the oil also

Schmoe · Apr 4, 2004

Pretty thin 30 and 40 weights, more like a heavy 20 and 30 weight, in that order. Lot's of VI's in that stuff.

Can someone explain API Service SM?

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