About The Petroleum Quality Institute of America
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) conducts independent testing of consumer, commercial, and industrial lubricants. PQIA’s mission is to serve the consumer of lubricants by testing and reporting on the quality and integrity of lubricants in the marketplace. It is expected that this improved visibility of quality will lead to wider conformance by lubricant manufacturers to specification and performance claims.
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PQIA Supporters
The Following Companies Support the Petroleum Quality Institute of America’s Efforts to Help Assure the Quality and Integrity of Lubricants in the Marketplace.
PQIA Advisory Board
PQIA Advisory Board
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America’s Advisory Board comprises a distinguished group of professionals with prominence in a broad range of fields in the lubricants business. The role of the Advisory Board is to provide PQIA’s management with guidance, advice, recommendations and counsel in how to best pursue PQIA’s purpose and mission. MORE>>

Hmmm… Is it an ILSAC GF-6 “A” or “B”?
In the process of examining motor oils now entering the market with the new API SP/ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B credentials, PQIA has observed a few brands on the store shelves with labels that omit the letters “A” or “B” following the ILSAC Standard GF-6 declaration.

Results in on Samples of CarQuest, NAPA, ProLine, and STP
The results of the tests conducted on the CarQuest, NAPA, ProLine, and STP samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories.

The High and Low of API SP ILSAC GF-6A Motor Oils
The recently introduced API SP Service Category and ILSAC GF-6A/6B standards complete the process to upgrade passenger car motor oils.

Results in on Samples of MAX1, Driver’s Choice, Vantage, and Winner’s Circle
The results of the tests conducted on the MAX1, Driver’s Choice, Vantage, and Winner’s Circle samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories.

New API SP/ILSAC GF-6A Motor Oils
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) is now starting to see motor oils with the new API SP/ILSAC GF-6A standard on store shelves. Test results for the first group PQIA recently purchased can be seen by clicking on the bottles below.
The first group tested include Castrol, Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Valvoline, and Super Tech. More to come.
The New API SP/ILSAC GF-6A Motor Oils are Now on Store Shelves
Although the new API SP/ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B standards were approved for first licensing on May 1, 2020, motor oils with these standards have been hard to find on retail shelves. But it is not unusual for it to take several months from first allowable use date for new specifications to migrate into retail stores.

Test Results: Driver One, Premier, Formula 300, and Simply Done
Recent Samples Tested: The results of the tests conducted on the Driver One, Premier, Formula 300, and Simply Done samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. It is important to note, however, that although the labels on the

Consumer Alert: Mileage 365 “5-30” Motor Oil
Use of this product in virtually all automobile engines will likely cause harm to the engine.

Test Results: truenorth, CITGO, SHEETZ, and Simply Done
Revised: September 10, 2020 Recent Samples Tested: The results of the tests conducted on the truenorth Premium, CITGO SUPERGARD, SHEETZ Premium, and Simply Done samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Product: truenorthViscosity Grade: SAE 10W-30Labeled: API SN/ILSAC GF-5Distributed By: Lyden Oil Company, Youngstown,
Dave Klinger, President of PPC Lubricants Joins PQIA Advisory Board
METUCHEN, NJ, August 21, 2020/ – – PQIA Announced Today that Dave Klinger, President of PPC Lubricants has Joined the PQIA Advisory Board The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) is pleased to announce Dave Klinger as a new member on the PQIA Advisory Board. Mr. Klinger is the President of PPC Lubricants, a 4th-generation,
Compliance – Properly Displaying Viscosity Grade
Viscosity is one of the most important properties of motor oil and generally the first piece of information a consumer looks for, beyond brand, when making a buying decision. For this reason, the viscosity grade is shown on the front label in plainly visible print. Further, many brands display it on the front label in

Wolf’s Head Super Duty, DG Auto High Mileage, MAG1 High Mileage, Mobil Super, Gulf Super Duty Plus
The results of the tests conducted on these samples meet the SAE J300.
Access to Safety Data Sheets
The Hazard Communication Standard “requires that the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), formerly Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), for each hazardous chemical to downstream users to communicate information on these hazards.” Whereas Safety Data Sheets for many lubricants are readily available from lubricant manufacturers and distributors, the Petroleum Quality Institute of

A Look at Navi Guard, Peak, NAPA, and Gulf
Navi Guard Ultra Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 0W-20 API SN/ILSAC GF-5/dexos1 Gen2 The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> PEAK Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 5W-30

Read the Labels on Motor Oil Before You Buy
Know how to read the labels and what to look for on both the front and back labels of the motor oil you buy, or you may be using product that can cause unsatisfactory performance or damage to your engine. The following are some key items to look for on motor oil labels and to consider before buying.

Castrol GTX and Ford Motorcraft
Castrol GTX Diesel Motor OilSAE 15W-40, API CK-4 The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> Ford Motorcraft Super Duty Formula Diesel Motor OilSAE 15W-40“Meets WSS-M2C171-F1, Cummins CES

A Look at Delo, Delvac, and Rotella SAE 15W-40 Heavy-Duty
Chevron Delo 400 SDE Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil SAE 15W-40 API CK-4/SN, CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> Mobil Delvac 1300 Super

Now Live ILSAC GF-6/API SP/Resource Conserving
Summary of the new API SP and ILSAC GF-6 designations. Consumers are encouraged to be aware of and familiar with these new designations and Certification Marks since, starting today, they will begin to appear on the labels of motor oil bottles.

A Look at Five SAE 0W-20s
Castrol Edge Full Synthetic Motor OilSAE 0W-20, API SN PLUS/ILSAC GF-5 The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> Mobil 1 High Mileage Full Synthetic Motor OilSAE 0W-20, API SN
Citgo Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Class Action Settled for $18.83 Million
The settlement establishes a $18,825,000.00 “Class Settlement Fund” that will be paid to Settlement Class Members as: (1) cash awards of up to 100% of the purchase price paid for the 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Products and (2) reimbursement for the costs of any repairs, parts, and specific equipment damage that a Settlement Class Member

Hmmm… Is it an ILSAC GF-6 “A” or “B”?
In the process of examining motor oils now entering the market with the new API SP/ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B credentials, PQIA has observed a few brands on the store shelves with labels that omit the letters “A” or “B” following the ILSAC Standard GF-6 declaration.

Results in on Samples of CarQuest, NAPA, ProLine, and STP
The results of the tests conducted on the CarQuest, NAPA, ProLine, and STP samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories.

The High and Low of API SP ILSAC GF-6A Motor Oils
The recently introduced API SP Service Category and ILSAC GF-6A/6B standards complete the process to upgrade passenger car motor oils.

Results in on Samples of MAX1, Driver’s Choice, Vantage, and Winner’s Circle
The results of the tests conducted on the MAX1, Driver’s Choice, Vantage, and Winner’s Circle samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories.

New API SP/ILSAC GF-6A Motor Oils
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) is now starting to see motor oils with the new API SP/ILSAC GF-6A standard on store shelves. Test results for the first group PQIA recently purchased can be seen by clicking on the bottles below.
The first group tested include Castrol, Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Valvoline, and Super Tech. More to come.
The New API SP/ILSAC GF-6A Motor Oils are Now on Store Shelves
Although the new API SP/ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B standards were approved for first licensing on May 1, 2020, motor oils with these standards have been hard to find on retail shelves. But it is not unusual for it to take several months from first allowable use date for new specifications to migrate into retail stores.

Test Results: Driver One, Premier, Formula 300, and Simply Done
Recent Samples Tested: The results of the tests conducted on the Driver One, Premier, Formula 300, and Simply Done samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. It is important to note, however, that although the labels on the

Consumer Alert: Mileage 365 “5-30” Motor Oil
Use of this product in virtually all automobile engines will likely cause harm to the engine.

Test Results: truenorth, CITGO, SHEETZ, and Simply Done
Revised: September 10, 2020 Recent Samples Tested: The results of the tests conducted on the truenorth Premium, CITGO SUPERGARD, SHEETZ Premium, and Simply Done samples meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product labels, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Product: truenorthViscosity Grade: SAE 10W-30Labeled: API SN/ILSAC GF-5Distributed By: Lyden Oil Company, Youngstown,
Dave Klinger, President of PPC Lubricants Joins PQIA Advisory Board
METUCHEN, NJ, August 21, 2020/ – – PQIA Announced Today that Dave Klinger, President of PPC Lubricants has Joined the PQIA Advisory Board The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) is pleased to announce Dave Klinger as a new member on the PQIA Advisory Board. Mr. Klinger is the President of PPC Lubricants, a 4th-generation,
Compliance – Properly Displaying Viscosity Grade
Viscosity is one of the most important properties of motor oil and generally the first piece of information a consumer looks for, beyond brand, when making a buying decision. For this reason, the viscosity grade is shown on the front label in plainly visible print. Further, many brands display it on the front label in

Wolf’s Head Super Duty, DG Auto High Mileage, MAG1 High Mileage, Mobil Super, Gulf Super Duty Plus
The results of the tests conducted on these samples meet the SAE J300.
Access to Safety Data Sheets
The Hazard Communication Standard “requires that the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), formerly Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), for each hazardous chemical to downstream users to communicate information on these hazards.” Whereas Safety Data Sheets for many lubricants are readily available from lubricant manufacturers and distributors, the Petroleum Quality Institute of

A Look at Navi Guard, Peak, NAPA, and Gulf
Navi Guard Ultra Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 0W-20 API SN/ILSAC GF-5/dexos1 Gen2 The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> PEAK Full Synthetic Motor Oil SAE 5W-30

Read the Labels on Motor Oil Before You Buy
Know how to read the labels and what to look for on both the front and back labels of the motor oil you buy, or you may be using product that can cause unsatisfactory performance or damage to your engine. The following are some key items to look for on motor oil labels and to consider before buying.

Castrol GTX and Ford Motorcraft
Castrol GTX Diesel Motor OilSAE 15W-40, API CK-4 The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> Ford Motorcraft Super Duty Formula Diesel Motor OilSAE 15W-40“Meets WSS-M2C171-F1, Cummins CES

A Look at Delo, Delvac, and Rotella SAE 15W-40 Heavy-Duty
Chevron Delo 400 SDE Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil SAE 15W-40 API CK-4/SN, CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> Mobil Delvac 1300 Super

Now Live ILSAC GF-6/API SP/Resource Conserving
Summary of the new API SP and ILSAC GF-6 designations. Consumers are encouraged to be aware of and familiar with these new designations and Certification Marks since, starting today, they will begin to appear on the labels of motor oil bottles.

A Look at Five SAE 0W-20s
Castrol Edge Full Synthetic Motor OilSAE 0W-20, API SN PLUS/ILSAC GF-5 The results of the tests conducted on this sample meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label, and are consistent with the listed API Service Categories. Read More> Mobil 1 High Mileage Full Synthetic Motor OilSAE 0W-20, API SN
Citgo Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Class Action Settled for $18.83 Million
The settlement establishes a $18,825,000.00 “Class Settlement Fund” that will be paid to Settlement Class Members as: (1) cash awards of up to 100% of the purchase price paid for the 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Products and (2) reimbursement for the costs of any repairs, parts, and specific equipment damage that a Settlement Class Member
Featured Articles
Resources
AAA – American Automobile Association
ACC – American Chemistry Council
ACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers Association
AFPM – American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers
AOCA – Automotive Oil Change Association
API – American Petroleum Institute
ASA – The Automotive Service Association
ATIEL – Association Technique de l’Industrie Européenne des Lubrifiants (ATIEL)
Automotive Maintenance & Repair Association
CAAM – China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM)
CEC – Coordinating European Council (CEC)
CRC – Coordinating Research Council
EMA – Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association
ILMA – Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association
International Council of Machinery Lubrication
JAMA – Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.
KAMA – Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA)
Municipal Fleet Managers Association
NAFA Fleet Management Association
NLGI – National Lubricating Grease Institute
NORA – An Association of Responsible Recyclers
OICA – The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers
PMAA – Petroleum Marketers Association of America
PQIA – Petroleum Quality Institute of America
SAE – Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
SIGMA – Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America
STLE – Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
The World Refining Association
UEIL – Union Indépendante de l’Industrie Européenne des Lubrifiants
Passenger Car Engine Oil (PCEO)
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
John Deere Tractor Hydraulic Fluid
Volvo T-13 Engine Oil Oxidation Test
SAE Viscosity Grade Specifications
Evolution of Motor Oil Viscosity Grades
Viscosity Specifications for ATFs
Understanding Viscosity Modifiers
Consumer Alert
Due to the high viscosity, absence of additives vital to protecting an engine from deposits and wear, high phosphorus content, and labeling violations, PQIA has issued a Consumer Alert on Super Green Smokeless Motor Oil. Use of this product in virtually all automobile engines will likely cause harm to the engine. Read More>>
PQIA Supporters
The Following Companies Support the Petroleum Quality Institute of America’s Efforts to Help Assure the Quality and Integrity of Lubricants in the Marketplace.
PQIA Advisory Board
PQIA Advisory Board
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America’s Advisory Board comprises a distinguished group of professionals with prominence in a broad range of fields in the lubricants business. The role of the Advisory Board is to provide PQIA’s management with guidance, advice, recommendations and counsel in how to best pursue PQIA’s purpose and mission. MORE>>
Petroleum Quality Institute of America
406 Main Street
Metuchen, NJ 08840
Phone: 732-201-4033