This information is taken from the 2005 Petro Canada Lubricants handbook. Keep in mind the information IS from 2005 so there will be no mention of our newest CJ-4, and there is also no mention of any overseas standards.
“S” – SPARK IGNITION (Gasoline, Propane, CNG)
Standards SA to SF have been removed as they are considered obsolete. The
current standard is backservicable to these standards.
SG FOR 1989 GASOLINE ENGINE
WARRANTY MAINTENANCE SERVICE
Service typical of gasoline engines in passenger cars, vans, and light trucks
beginning with the 1989 model year operating under manufacturers’ recommended maintenance procedures. (obsolete)
SH FOR 1994 GASOLINE ENGINE WARRANTY
MAINTENANCE SERVICE
Service typical of gasoline engines in passenger cars, vans and light trucks
beginning with the 1994 model year, operating under manufacturers’ recommended maintenance procedures. Oils developed for this service provide improved control of engine deposits, oxidation and engine wear relative to oils developed for previous categories. Oils meeting API Service Classification SH may be used where API Service Categories SG, SG/CC, SF, SF/CC and SE are recommended. (obsolete)
SJ FOR 1997 GASOLINE ENGINE WARRANTY
MAINTENANCE SERVICE
Service typical of gasoline engines in passenger cars, sport utility vehicles,
vans and light trucks beginning with 1997 model year, operating under manufacturers’ recommended maintenance procedures. Oils meeting API Service Classification SJ may be used where API Service Classifications SH and earlier have been recommended.
SL FOR 2001 GASOLINE ENGINE WARRANTY
MAINTENANCE SERVICE
Service typical of gasoline engines in passenger cars, sport utility vehicles,
vans and light trucks effective July 1, 2001. In addition to a general improvement in quality, this new standard aims specifically to improve oil volatility, oil life, fuel economy and emissions system compatibility. Oils meeting API Service Classification SL may be used where API Service Classifications SJ and earlier have been recommended.
SM FOR 2005 GASOLINE ENGINE WARRANTY
MAINTENANCE SERVICE
Service typical of gasoline engines in passenger cars, sport utility vehicles,
vans and light trucks effective Dec. 2004. In addition to a general improvement in quality, this new standard aims specifically to improve oil volatility, oil life,fuel economy and emissions system compatibility. Oils meeting API ServiceClassification SM may be used where API Service Classifications SL and earlier have been recommended.
“C” – COMPRESSION IGNITION (Diesel)
CA FOR DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of diesel engines operated in mild to moderate duty with high quality fuels and occasionally has included gasoline engines in mild service. They were widely used in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. (obsolete)
CB FOR DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of diesel engines operated in mild to moderate duty, but with lower quality fuels which necessitate more protection from wear and deposits. Oils designed for this service were introduced in 1949. (obsolete)
CC FOR DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of certain naturally aspirated, turbo-charged or supercharged diesel engines operated in moderate to severe duty service and certain heavyduty gasoline engines. Oils designed for this service provide protection from high temperature deposits and bearing corrosion in these diesel engines and also from rust, corrosion and low-temperature deposits in gasoline engines. These oils were introduced in 1961. (obsolete)
CD FOR DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of certain naturally aspirated, turbocharged or supercharged
diesel engines where highly effective control of wear and deposits is vital, or when using fuels of a wide quality range including high sulfur fuels. Oils
designed for this service were introduced in 1955 and provide protection from bearing corrosion and from high-temperature deposits in these diesel engines. (obsolete)
CD-II FOR FOR SEVERE DUTY 2-STROKE
CYCLE DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of 2-stroke cycle diesel engines requiring highly effective control over wear and deposits. Oils designed for this service also meet all performance requirements of API Service Category CD. (obsolete)
CE FOR 1983 DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of certain turbocharged or supercharged heavy-duty diesel
engines manufactured since 1983 and operated under both low speed high
load and high speed high load conditions. Oils designed for this service must
also meet the requirements of the API Engine Service Categories CC and CD. (obsolete)
CF FOR 1994 OFF-ROAD INDIRECT INJECTED
DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
API Service Category CF denotes service typical of off-road indirect injected diesel engines and other diesel engines that use a broad range of fuel types including those using fuel with higher sulphur content, for example, over 0.5% wt. Effective control of piston deposits, wear and corrosion of copper-containing bearings is essential for these engines which may be naturally aspirated, turbocharged or supercharged. Oils designated for this service may also be used when API Service Category CD is recommended.
CF-2 FOR 1994 SEVERE DUTY 2-STROKE CYCLE
DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
API Service Category CF-2 denotes service typical of two-stroke cycle engines requiring highly effective control over cylinder and ring-face scuffing and deposits. Oils designated for this service have been in existence since 1994 and may also be used when API Service Category CD-II is recommended. These oils do not necessarily meet the requirements of CF or CF-4 unless the oils have specifically met the performance requirements of these categories.
CF-4 FOR 1991 DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
Service typical of severe duty turbocharged, 4-stroke cycle diesel engines,
particularly late models designed to give lower emissions. These engines are
usually found in on-highway, heavy duty truck applications. API CF-4 oils
exceed the requirements of CE category oils and can be used in place of earlier CC, CD and CE oils.
CG-4 FOR 1994 SEVERE DUTY DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
For use in high speed, four-stroke cycle diesel engines used in highway and
off-road applications where the fuel sulphur may vary from less than 0.05 percent to less than 0.5 percent by weight. CG-4 oils provide effective control over high temperature piston deposits, wear, corrosion, foaming, oxidation stability and soot accumulation. These oils are especially effective in engines designed to meet 1994 emission standards and may also be used in engines requiring API Service Categories CD, CE and CF-4.
CH-4 FOR 1999 SEVERE DUTY DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
For use in high speed, four-stroke cycle diesel engines used in highway and
off-road applications, where the fuel contents range from less than 0.05% to less than 0.5% by weight. CH-4 oils provide superior control over high temperature piston deposits, wear, corrosion, foaming, oxidation stability and soot accumulation. These oils have been specifically formulated for engines designed to meet November 1998 EPA emission standards and may be used where API CD, CE, CF-4 and CG-4 oils are required. Oils designated for this service have been available since 1999.
CI-4 (CI-4 PLUS) FOR 2003 SEVERE DUTY
DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
For use in high speed, four-stroke cycle diesel engines used in highway and
off-road applications where fuel sulphur contents range from less than 0.05% to less than 0.5% by weight. This new category is designed to cope with stringent environmental emissions legislation and increased engine severity caused by Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). Oils designated for this service are currently available from Petro-Canada, and may also be used where API CD, CE, CF-4, CG-4 and CH-4 oils are required.
