The MS Sequences were introduced in 1958 to give the automotive and the oil industries a common basis for predicting field performance of motor oils. The sequences have been revised periodically to reflect changes in field conditions.
Comparisons of laboratory with field data show that the sequences are generally successful in predicting motor-oil performance. Sequences IIA IIIA, adopted in 1965, give better repeatability, reproducibility, and field-test correlations than original Sequences I, II, III. Proposed Sequence VB, which uses an engine with a PCV valve, is being evaluated. The reliability of the antiwear evaluation in the sequences is questionable and indicates need for further revisions.
Military qualification tests have been revised to include many of the motor-oil performance parameters evaluated by MS Sequences. However, different policies regarding test engines have thwarted any movement to consolidate the two series of tests.