ILMA Compoundings April 2018 - 62

IN NETWORK

Cross Connections
Rolling Out the API SN PLUS Donut
By Kevin Ferrick

T

he American Petroleum Institute (API) has approved
SN PLUS, a new classification that will be licensed
for use in the API Service Symbol Donut with API
SN and API SN with Resource Conserving. The SN PLUS
classification is intended to identify oils formulated to provide API SN performance and additional protection against
low-speed pre-ignition for turbocharged direct-injection
gasoline-powered vehicles.
API's development of classifications for use with existing
service categories is rare, but it has been done before. In 2004,
API introduced CI-4 PLUS to identify oils formulated to
meet API CI-4 and at the same time provide a higher level of
protection against soot-related viscosity increase and viscosity
loss related to shear in diesel-powered vehicles.
API plans to license oils against the SN PLUS classification, but the date on which SN PLUS-licensed oils
will appear in the API Directory of Licensees and licensed
marketers will be permitted to display SN PLUS in the
lower portion of the API Symbol Donut still needs to be
determined. A decision on the first licensing date will be
made after API has vetted Base Oil Interchange/Viscosity
Grade Read Across guidelines for the Sequence IX test.
There are some key points one needs to keep in mind
with regards to SN PLUS:
* Marketers may identify oils that meet all of the requirements of the standards as meeting API SN with
SN PLUS or API SN with SN PLUS and Resource
Conserving prior to the date of first licensing but may
not state or imply API certification or licensing of SN
PLUS in advance of that date.
* Marketers that want API to license their oils as meeting
API SN with SN PLUS and API SN with SN PLUS
and Resource Conserving on the first licensing date
must apply for licensing through the online application
system at my.api.org/account/login. API will process
applications in the order received, but the right to claim
API licensing against the SN PLUS classification will
not be allowed until the to-be-determined first licensing
date. API will notify licensees when the online application system is ready to accept SN PLUS applications.

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APRIL 2018

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

* Licensed API SN with SN PLUS and API SN with SN
PLUS and Resource Conserving oils will not appear in
the online API Directory until the first licensing date.
* Marketers with licensed SN PLUS oils may use SN
PLUS in the lower half of the API Donut beginning on
the first licensing date.
* Oils licensed by API as API SN with SN PLUS and
Resource Conserving and ILSAC GF-5 are eligible to
display the API Certification Mark Starburst.
For those interested in the more official description for SN
PLUS, the approved user language is as follows: "API Service
Category SN engine oils that also carry the classification
SN PLUS are formulated to provide API SN performance
and additional protection against low-speed pre-ignition for
turbocharged direct-injection gasoline-powered vehicles.
"Oils that meet the requirements for API SN with SN PLUS
or API SN with SN PLUS and Resource Conserving at the
limit shown in Annex G, Table G-5, and are properly licensed
may display 'SN PLUS' or 'Resource Conserving SN PLUS'
in the lower portion of the API Service Symbol in conjunction
with API SN in the upper portion (see Service Symbols above).
"Oils that satisfy SN PLUS can also effectively lubricate
engines calling for API SN, API SN with Resource Conserving, or ILSAC GF-5. API SN with SN PLUS and API SN
with SN PLUS and Resource Conserving are also backward
compatible to API Service Categories before API SN."
If you have questions about SN PLUS or licensing against
the classification, contact the API Engine Oil Licensing and
Certification System at eolcs@api.org.
Ferrick is API's senior manager for engine oil licensing.
http://my.api.org/account/login http://www.ILMA.ORG
ILMA Compoundings April 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings April 2018
