Product Technical Bulletin
VALVOLINE, A DIVISION OF ASHLAND INC.
RE: GM dexos specification
General Motors has issued two new global specifications dexosTM1
and dexosTM2. dexos1 is intended for use in all GM gasoline vehicles
and specifically recommend for 2011 MY and later vehicles. dexos2 is intended
for use in both GM gasoline and GM light duty diesel vehicles and specifically
recommended for 2011MY and later vehicles. GM is primarily targeting dexos1 for
the North American and Asian markets where gasoline vehicles predominate and
dexos2 for the European market and other markets where there is a mix of
gasoline and diesel fueled light duty vehicles.
Both dexos specifications are a combination of elements of the API/ILSAC
(North American) and ACEA (European) industry specifications along with some
unique Opel (GM Europe) test requirements.
Valvoline already meets all the requirements of the dexosTM2
specification with our SynPower MST 5W-30 which was also the first Mercedes
Benz 229.51 approved oil available in North America. Valvoline began
introducing oils meeting the dexosTM1 specification in October 2010
when we upgraded our passenger car motor oils to API
SN and ILSAC GF-5. Valvoline will not however license any of our
products with General Motors. GM is taking the unusual step of charging a very
significant fee for licensing that we believe will result in an unwarranted
cost increase to owners of GM vehicles. Valvoline has decided that we do not
want to be a part of this.
Following are some frequently asked questions about dexos.
1. If dexos is a global
specification, why is there one for Europe and one for North America?
While GM desires to have a global specification they recognize that the
type of products needed in Europe to meet both diesel and gasoline requirements
are much more costly than the type of products needed to meet gasoline only
requirements. Additionally these universal type products provide much poorer
fuel efficiency than the gasoline only products so they would adversely impact
GM's corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) likely resulting in heavy fines from
the EPA. Please note that this in no way prohibits a consumer from using a
dexosTM2 oil in a North American GM gasoline vehicle.
2. How does dexosTM1
differ from ILSAC GF-5 and API SN/Resource Conserving?
The dexosTM1 specification provides for greater control of
deposits, more restrictive volatility requirements and introduces an aeration
requirement. Interestingly it lacks the emissions system protection and E-85
compatibility requirements of the ILSAC and API specifications and only
requires the fuel efficiency of the older ILSAC GF-4 and API SM/Energy
Conserving specifications.
The more restrictive volatility requirement is likely to require greater
use of synthetic base oils in dexosTM1 oils as compared to oils just
meeting the API/ILSAC specifications.
Any Valvoline oil meeting the dexosTM1 specification will
also meet the ILSAC GF-5 and API SN/Resource Conserving specifications.
3. Can I use dexosTM1
in a pre-2011 MY GM vehicle or in other types of vehicles?
Oils meeting the dexosTM1 1 specification are backward
compatible and can be used in earlier model year GM vehicles. Oils meeting only
dexosTM1 may not meet the API or ILSAC standards and should not be
used in other makes. In all likelihood, however; most oils meeting dexosTM1
will also carry ILSAC GF-5 and API SN/Resource Conserving credentials and so
can be used with other makes.
4. Do I have to use a dexos
licensed product to maintain warranty for my 2011MY GM vehicle?
Federal law prohibits GM from requiring you to use a dexos licensed
product to maintain warranty. In the owners manual it specifically states that
a "dexos licensed or equivalent" product should be used. In fact GM
even allows the use of ILSAC GF-4 or ILSAC GF-5 products in most vehicles if a
dexos or dexos equivalent product is not readily available. Corvettes and
certain other vehicles which previously required a GM 4718M type oil will
require a 4718M type oil or a dexos/dexos equivalent oil.
5. Which Valvoline products
will meet the dexos specifications?
The following products will meet all requirements of the dexos
specification and therefore in GM's terminology will be dexos equivalent oils:
|
Product
|
Grade
|
dexos spec
|
Other specifications
|
|
SynPower
|
5W-30
|
dexosTM1
|
ILSAC GF-5, API SN/Resource
Conserving, ACEA A5
|
|
SynPower
|
5W-30
|
dexosTM1
|
ILSAC GF-5, API SN/Resource
Conserving, ACEA A1
|
|
DuraBlend
|
5W-30
|
dexosTM1
|
ILSAC GF-5, API SN/Resource
Conserving, ACEA A1
|
|
NextGen
DuraBlend
|
5W-30
|
dexosTM1
|
ILSAC GF-5, API SN/Resource
Conserving, ACEA A1
|
|
SynPower MST
|
5W-30
|
dexosTM2
|
API SN/CF, ACEA A3/B4-04, ACEA
C3-08, MB 229.51, BMW LL-04, VW 502.00/505.00/505.01
|
Thom Smith
Technical Director, Valvoline Brand
Ashland Consumer Market
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