Letter Designation API Service Oil Description
SA Utility gasoline and diesel engine Oil without additive.
service. (obsolete)
SB Minimum duty gasoline engine Some antioxidant and antiservice.
(obsolete) scuff properties.
SC 1964 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1964-67 requirements
requirements. (obsolete) of automotive manufacturers.
SD 1968 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1968-71 requirements
requirements. (obsolete) of automotive manufacturers.
SE 1972 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1972-79 requirements
requirements. (obsolete) of automotive manufacturers.
SF 1980 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1980-88 requirements
requirements (obsolete) of automotive manufacturers.
SG 1989 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1989-93 requirements
requirements (obsolete) of automotive manufacturers.
SH 1994 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1994-96 requirements
requirements (obsolete) of automotive manufacturers.
SJ 1997 gasoline engine warranty Meets 1997-2000 requirements
requirements of automotive manufacturers.
SL 2001 gasoline engine warranty Meets 2001-2004
requirements requirements of automotive manufacturers.
SM 2004 gasoline engine warranty Meets 2004 onwards
requirements requirements of automotive manufacturers.
CA Light duty service on high quality Meets Military requirement
fuels. (obsolete) MIL-L-2104A (1954).
CB Moderate duty service on lower Meets Military requirement
quality fuels. (obsolete) MIL-L-2104A, but test run on
high sulphur fuel (Suppl. 1 ).
CC Moderate to severe duty diesel Meets Military requirement
and gasoline service. (obsolete) MIL-L-2104B (1964).
CD Severe duty diesel service. Provides moderately super charged
(obsolete) diesel performance. Meets requirements of MIL-L-2104C and
Caterpillar Series 3 lubricants.
CD-II Severe duty 2-stroke cycle diesel Meets requirements for API
engine service. (obsolete) CD service, plus Detroit Diesel 6V53T approval.
CE Turbo-charged and Super-charged Meets the requirements for
heavy-duty diesel engines, API CD service, plus those for
manufactured since 1983. Mack E0-K/2 and Cummins
CF Off-road indirect injected diesel Provides effective control of
engines and other diesel engines piston deposits, wear and
using a broad range of fuel types corrosion in naturally aspirated
including high sulphur (>0.5%) fuel. turbocharged or supercharged
diesel engines. Can be used to replace CD oils.
CF-2 Severe duty 2-stroke cycle Service typical of 1994 severe
diesel engine service. duty two-stroke cycle diesel engines requiring
highly effective control over deposits and wear. Can be used to
replace CD-II oils.
CF-4 Severe duty turbocharged Meets requirements of 4-stroke cycle
diesel engines, Caterpillar 1-K spec, plus especially late model
(since 1988) those for Mack EO-K/2 and lower emission engines.
Cummins NTC-400 approvals.
CG-4 Severe duty service in 4-stroke Provides effective control over
cycle diesel engines designed to high temperature piston meet 1994
emission standards deposits, wear, corrosion, using low sulphur-fuel
(<0.05% foaming, oxidation stability to <0.5%). and soot accumulation.
Can be used to replace CD, CE and CF-4 oils.
CH-4 For high-speed, 4-stroke cycle Provides superior control over diesel
engines, designed to high temperature piston meet 1998 emission
standards, deposits, wear, corrosion, using low sulphur fuel
(<0.05% foaming, oxidation stability to <0.5%). and soot accumulation.
Can be used to replace CD, CE, CF-4 and CG-4 oils.
CI-4 (CI-4 Plus) Represents a performance boost Provides enhanced perforover
CH-4. For use in high speed, mance over that provided by four-stroke
cycle diesel engines CH-4, in terms of viscosity used in highway and
off-road control, soot accumulation, applications where fuel sulphur
oxidation stability and piston contents range from less than deposits.
May be used to 0.05% by weight. Designed to replace CD, CE, CF-4, CG-4,
meet 2002 emission standards and CH-4 oils. Some CI-4 oils and to meet
increased engine may also qualify for the CI-4 severity caused by Exhaust
Gas Plus designation which Recirculation (EGR). represents even better
protection against wear, improved soot handling and shear stability.
CJ-4 For use in high-speed four-stroke Oils designated for this service cycle
diesel engines designed to are currently available from meet 2007 model
year on-highway Petro-Canada and may also exhaust emission standards
as be used where API, CD, CE, well as for previous model years. CF-4, CG-4,
CH-4 and CI-4 / These oils are compounded for CI-4 Plus oils are required. use in all applications with diesel fuels ranging in sulphur content up to 500 ppm
(0.05% by weight). This new category is designed to cope with stringent
Environmental emissions legislation and increased engine severity caused
by Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR).
More Detailed Descriptions of the API Service Classification.
They are a guide to the proper selection of engine oils for significantly different
engine service operations.
“S” – SPARK IGNITION (Gasoline, Propane, CNG)
Standards SA to SF have been removed as they are considered obsolete. The
current standard is back servicable 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
in quality, this new standard aims specifically to improve oil volatility, oillife,
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 2004 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 Service
Classification 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
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 2002 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.
CJ-4 FOR 2007 SEVERE DUTY DIESEL ENGINE SERVICE
For use in high-speed four-stroke cycle diesel engines designed to meet
2007 model year on-highway exhaust emission standards as well as for
previous model years. These oils are compounded for use in all applications
with diesel fuels ranging in sulphur content up to 500 ppm (0.05% by
weight). However, the use of these oils with greater than 15 ppm (0.0015%
by weight) sulphur fuel may impact exhaust aftertreatment system durability
and/or oil drain interval.
