Valvoline Inc., a leading worldwide supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, announced recently the launch of new passenger car motor oil (PCMO) formulas in both the U.S. and Canada. The new formulas have been optimized to exceed the recently updated International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) GF-6 standards, which formally went into effect May 1.

ILSAC GF-6, which is comprised of two different specifications – GF-6A and GF-6B – is ILSAC’s latest standard implemented to ensure oils meet the needs of modern engine technology and improve wear protection, fuel economy, reduce sludge and deposits and more.

Valvoline’s multiple GF-6 formulations for conventional, synthetic blend high mileage and full synthetic products – as tested in the industry sequence X chain wear test – are proven across specifications to provide as much as 40 percent better wear protection, delivering greater defense against engine breakdown.

“The newest ILSAC standards provide for a higher motor oil standard, with six new engine tests required to approve formulations,” said Michael Warholic, Valvoline technology manager for PCMO lubricants. “At Valvoline, our dedicated engine lab is capable of running more GF-6 engine tests than any other oil marketer, assuring our oils go above and beyond the new standard, delivering more protection for consumer engines.”

Automakers now require higher-quality oils to protect their latest engine designs, along with a need for lubricants to offer a greater contribution to fuel economy. ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B improve upon GF-5 specifications in fuel economy and fuel economy retention, engine durability, wear protection for idle-stop, low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI) minimization, piston cleanliness and chain wear protection.

“As OEMs continue to improve the efficiency and performance of engines, motor oil has to perform at a higher level as well,” said Heidi Matheys, Valvoline chief marketing officer. “We wanted our new formulations to go beyond the required performance and exceed the new industry standards to maximize the life of our consumers’ engines.”

In addition to meeting ILSAC GF-6, Valvoline oils also meet API SP – the American Petroleum Institute’s new minimum engine oil standard developed to address the critical needs of today’s engines including chain wear, LSPI and deposits.

GF-5 motor oils have begun to fade from distribution post the May 1, 2020 GF-6 launch. Valvoline Motor Oils meeting ILSAC GF-6A standard will display the “Starburst” API mark on all bottles, while GF-6B-compliant oils will have the API “Shield.” Oils meeting API SP will feature an updated API “Donut” with SP designation.