Committee Roles and Responsibilities

The function of industry committees involved in the development of GF-5

The development of new motor oil specifications is truly a collaborative effort. The automotive industry is well represented on six industry committees that are working in partnership to develop the new GF-5 specification. Equipment manufacturers, oil marketers, additive companies, and testing laboratories work with industry organizations to review all of the required technical and commercial considerations relative to GF-5. These committees also create the test procedures used to qualify GF-5 lubricants.

This diagram shows how the central comittees feed one another information to create GF-5.

The table below briefly describes the roles and responsibilities of the key committees participating in the development of the GF-5 specification. The pages to the left outline the work of each committee in greater detail.

Organization	Official Organization Name	GF-5 Responsibility
ILSAC	International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee	Jointly develops engine oil specifications and sets specification requirements.
AAM	Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers	AAM members participate in the ILSAC/OIL process. AAM notifies ILSAC/OIL of need for new specification.
JAMA	Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association	JAMA members participate in the ILSAC/OIL process. JAMA notifies ILSAC/OIL of need for new specification.
ILSAC/OIL	ILSAC/OIL Committee	The ILSAC/OIL Committee verifies the need for a new oil specification, guides and facilitates the development of ILSAC performance specifications, and sets final testing limits.
OIL	OIL	Jointly develops engine oil specifications and sets specification requirements.
ACC	The American Chemistry Council	ACC members participate in the ILSAC/OIL process which helps develop specification requirements.
API	American Petroleum Institute	API members participate in the ILSAC/OIL process which helps develop specification requirements. API oversees engine oil licensing for the new specification.
ASTM	ASTM International - Formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials	ASTM works with test sponsors on GF-5 test development, procedures, and test precision.
SAE	SAE International, Society of Automotive Engineers	SAE International is responsible for maintaining SAE J300 standard for viscosity grades for engine oils.

Automobile Consumers

Automobile consumers also play a role in the development of new motor oil specifications. It is consumer demand for improved fuel efficiency and lowered emissions that often drives new government regulations. New regulations are an effort to protect public interest by reducing oil consumption and protecting the environment. These government regulations in turn drive the development of new engine designs which demand new motor oil specifications.