IFC outlines roadmap for passenger car engine oil specifications

Formation of the International Fluids Consortium (IFC) was announced at SAE International’s WCX World Congress Experience Digital Summit in April 2021, amid concerns from OEMs around inefficiencies in the fluid specification setting process. IFC membership now includes 12 leading OEMs and industry affiliate members.  

The consortium has already developed two global engine oil standards, both currently in the official draft stage, says Mike Kunselman, business development manager at the Center for Quality Assurance (CQA), the administrator for IFC. The GEO-1 and GEO-2 standards range in viscosity from 0W-8 to 10W-30, with GEO-2 also addressing needs around gasoline particulate filter (GPF) compatibility. The key to the specifications is that the performance level is achievable with current technologies, he says. 

During a presentation at F+L Week 2023, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 14, Kunselman outlined IFC’s approach to defining future global engine oil performance. He cited the example of the JASO M365 (​​Automobile Gasoline Engine Oils – Motored Fuel Economy Test Procedure) and JASO M366 (Automobile Gasoline Engine Oils – Firing Fuel Economy Test Procedure) tests. 

After these tests were proposed, one OEM developed the draft procedure and confirmed initial precision within the laboratory before it was shared across the industry. This is very different to the ASTM process in the U.S. or the Coordinating European Council (CEC) in Europe, says Kunselman. The CEC is an Industry-based organisation which develops test methods for the performance testing of automotive engine oil, fuels and transmission fluids (using gasoline and diesel engines). In addition, it covers marine & large engine oils, two-stroke engine oils & associated bench tests.

Changing the timing of handover to industry organisations streamlines the process. This is how OEMs  are looking to develop engine tests within the International Fluids Consortium in the future, he says.

Kunselman also provided details on the IFC specification roadmap. The next IFC standard, GEO-3, is already underway, he says. The organisation previously surveyed OEMs and asked which factors were important for GEO-3, with fuel economy continuing to stand out as a key requirement.