At its meeting on June 29, 2023, the Automotive Oil Advisory Panel (AOAP) agreed to proceed with creating a new oil category, ILSAC GF-7A and GF-7B, for gasoline-powered internal combustion engines. The International Lubricants Standardization Advisory Committee (ILSAC) initially requested the new category in August 2022 in anticipation of extremely aggressive fuel economy targets set to take effect in the near future. For example, the US calls for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) improvements of ~10% annually starting with model year 2026. OEMs continue to advance and refine engine designs to meet these goals and have called on the lubrication industry for help.

The primary needs of the ILSAC GF-7 engine oil category are intended to help deliver the following:

1. Improved fuel economy

2. Aged oil LSPI in Sequence IX testing to mitigate LSPI issues during oil drain periods

3. Improvement in new oil MRV to a max of 40,000, cP

The proposed GF-7 upgrade includes tightening the limits of the Sequence VIE, IIIH, X, and limiting the finished oil sulfated ash to 0.90wt% max. 

Other monitored parameters include: 

• The New Oil Gelation Procedure (Gelation Test, ASTM D6795 Modification) was introduced to address vehicle storage issues that led to the development of this bench test that is believed to correlate to engine oil gelation.

• For elastomers, four additional seals ACM-2, AEM-2, AEM-3, and FKM-3 were added to the existing list.

After much discussion on the readiness of these two tests and the necessity to start the Technical Demonstration by July 1, 2023, the AOAP members agreed to rate and report these two tests for the duration of GF-7.

With a proposed first licensing by the end of the first quarter of 2025, GF-7 will replace the GF-6 category introduced in 2020. As mentioned above, the Technical Demonstration period for GF-7 began on July 1, 2023 and is expected to last 12 months.

The development of GF-7 is taking place in parallel with several other industry initiatives either underway or under discussion, including:

• ILSAC is requesting industry support to replace Sequence V, VI, IX, and X test engines that will run out of parts by CY2028, setting the stage for the next ILSAC GF-8 category.

• General Motors plans to release the fourth generation of its dexos® 1 standard in 2027. 

• The PC-12 initiative for heavy duty engines calls for two new oil categories for heavy-duty diesel engines by 2027.

• Recently, the API Lubricants Group ballot to include 0W-8 and 0W-12 viscosity grades under API SPwas completed.

The industry is trying to integrate these moving parts to meet the lubrication demands of modern, fuel-efficient internal combustion engines. Together, these initiatives will require exhaustive resources, testing capacity, and, in some cases, new test regimens. 

After much deliberation, the decision to proceed with GF-7 is a breakthrough that will enable the industry to move forward. Chevron Oronite has been an active participant in industry discussions over the last several months, helping shape the parameters that have led to accelerated implementation of this category. It reiterates our position to support the timely implementation of the new category to help address the end-user and OEM needs while considering lubricant marketers’ expectations. 

Chevron Oronite is prepared to meet the new ILSAC GF-7 specifications. As a global leader in passenger car motor oil additives, Oronite will offer multiple solutions to support our customers in preparing for the timely implementation of GF-7-compliant lubricants.  Investments and testing are underway to further enhance our current and proven GF-6/dexos® 1 Gen 3 technologies to meet the ILSAC GF-7 requirements while continuing to provide formulation versatility and flexibility of supply that is part of our strong legacy in the development of PCMO additives. 

Published: November 2023