ACEA is the abbreviation for Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles
(Union of European car manufacturers). This committee has developed new classifications
for the application of engine oils in gasoline, passenger cars diesel and
heavy-duty diesel engines.
(ACEA European Oil Sequences for Service Fill Oils).
While revising the former CCMC classifications and the regrouping to the ACEA norms
the following aspects have been in the limelight:
- Updating of the demands and the employed motor tests to achieve a more topical
testing of the lubricantsand to meet the increased requirements because of the present
motor engineering. The CCMCclassifications partly have been over 10 years old and
therefore did not present the current state of engineering any longer.
- Introduction of a quality system to record the test results. The new system provides
that all achieved results (both the reference tests and the real candidate tests) have
to be registered at the European Registration Centre. With that, ACEA tests shall be
auditable by neutrale authorities and it shall be prevented that not tested products
can be assessed in ACEA classifications.
This way, the new ACEA classifications are representing a higher and more current
standard of performance as the former CCMC categories.
Apart from the name some more things have changed at ACEA. Therefore, a direct
translation from CCMC to ACEA is not possible. Gas engines (Gasoline)= A1, A2, A3, A4
and A5. The rating into categories for conventional oils (so far CCMC G4) and lightrun
oils (so far CCMC G5) is not longer valid and a differentiation of this kinds of
products is no longer possible because of the fulfilled ACEA specification. In return, a
new category for so called "Fuel Economy-Oils" has been introduced, which is
showing a noticeable lowered high temperature viscosity.
Car diesel engines (Light Duty Diesel) = B1, B2, B3, B4 and B5. Here also a new
category for fuel-economy oils has been introduced.
In addition, the demands of modern diesel engines now are covered by the inclusion of
new motor tests. Heavy-duty diesel ( = E1, E2, E3, E4 and E5) The
fixing of these categories has been done in close following to the Mercedes-Benz
pages (MB 227.1/228.1/228.5).
ACEA |
Capacity | HTHS (mPa's) |
A1, B1 |
|
standard quality, normal intervals |
min 2,9 max 3,5 |
A2, B2 |
|
standard quality, normal intervals |
> 3,5 |
A3, B3 |
|
heavy-duty oil, extended intervals are possible |
> 3,5 |
B4 |
|
as B3, but also for diesel direct injection |
> 3,5 |
(A4) |
|
reserved for fuel direct injection |
|
A5, B55) |
|
as A3/B4, but lowered HTHS |
min 2,9 max 3,5 |
E1 |
|
no longer valid since March 2000 |
≥3,5 |
E21) |
|
normal operation, normal intervals |
≥3,5 |
E32) |
|
heavy operation, extended intervals are possible |
≥3,5 |
E43) |
|
high-heavy operation, extend intervals are possible |
≥3,5 |
E54) |
|
heavy operation, extended intervals are possible |
≥3,5 |
1) meets MB 228.1 or MAN 271
2) meets MB 228.3 or MAN M 3275
3) meets MB 228.5 or MAN M3277
4) performance similar to E3, but also tested in American motors (Mack and Cummins)
5) introduction expected in autumn 2001
|