NEEDS STATEMENT

The International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) GF-5 provides a minimum performance level of an engine oil for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. This performance standard must provide improvements relative to ILSAC GF-4 in the following three categories:

• Fuel economy and fuel economy retention
• Engine oil robustness
• Protection of emission control systems

The final standard will have to result in a balance among these three equally important needs. More specifically, ILSAC GF-5 must incorporate:

• Increased fuel economy throughout the oil change interval.  Automotive manufacturers are facing increasingly stringent regulatory requirements.  Fuel consumption remains a critical issue for automotive and oil industry customers. 
• Enhanced oil robustness for spark-ignited internal combustion engines.
• Requirements ensuring the compatibility of the engine oil with emission system components capable of meeting stringent federal and California emission regulations. Phosphorus and sulfur are known catalyst and exhaust-gas oxygen (EGO) sensor poisons that need to be controlled to meet current and future tailpipe emission requirements for the full useful life of the vehicle. 

Final ILSAC/Oil Needs Statement January 23, 2008