ATIEL Welcomes The Release Of The New ACEA Light-Duty Sequences, Ensuring Industry Lubricant Specifications Offer Robust Protection For The Latest Engines

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

Since their introduction in 1996 the ACEA Oil Sequences have been updated periodically to
ensure that engine oils are able to meet the ever-changing requirements of the latest engine
technologies. For the first time, ACEA 2021 has separated the Light Duty and Heavy Duty Oil
Sequences to allow a more flexible approach to updating the specifications.

ACEA 2021 updates the Light-Duty Sequences to replace old engine tests that have reached the
end of life, to allow a continuation of the engine oil development process for vehicles already in
market. The new tests run on more up to date engine hardware but allow oil marketers to
continue to supply oils with proven field performance. The two new Categories published in ACEA
2021 introduce several new performance parameters and give oil marketers an opportunity to
demonstrate the performance of their lubricants in the most modern vehicle technology.

The two new Categories, C6 and A7/B7, for the first time introduce LSPI, timing chain wear and
diesel turbocharger performance limits into the ACEA Sequences, and C6 includes a new fuel
economy test. Whilst many lubricants already exceed OEM requirements for these parameters,
including them in ACEA 2021 gives the industry a sound baseline to ensure lubricants perform in
the latest engines. The addition of tests from both API (the LSPI and chain wear test) and JASO
(the new fuel economy test for C6) helps to increase the global applicability of the ACEA
Sequences, as well as giving oil developers the confidence of running test programs in well established engine tests.

ATIEL contributed significantly in collaboration with ACEA and ATC (the European additive
manufacturers association) to ensure the release of the new ACEA Light-Duty Sequences is a
positive outcome serving all automotive industry stakeholders, and particularly for consumers.
The current European system provides a framework to engage on existing and emerging
technical issues and trends impacting engine design and use, and their potential effects on
lubricant performance and formulation. The good cooperation between ACEA, ATIEL and ATC
underlines the value of developing specifications that take into account the needs of both vehicle
hardware and lubricant technology, to allow the right quality lubricants to become widely available
across the market.

ATIEL (the Technical Association of the European Lubricants Industry) is a non-for-profit
association under Belgian law (association sans but lucratif-ASBL).
For the last 25 years, the industry has proudly acted as the voice of the lubricant industry, using
its members’ collective expertise to push the boundaries of engine oil innovation to the benefit of
vehicle manufacturers, consumers, and the environment – https://atiel.eu/industry-liaison/

For more information, please contact [email protected]