The SAE Lubricants Review Institute – Purpose And Operation

The keystone of the SAE/ASTM/API tripartite effort to insure the quality of commercial lubricants is the "Engine Oil Performance and Engine Service Classification System," published as SAE J183, which describes these performance requirements. A major element in this effort is the ASTM test monitoring system dealing with the calibration and monitoring of test facilities to assure that engine tests are conducted according to the procedures described by ASTM.

Equally important is the SAE Lubricants Review Institute (LRI) which deals with the specification conformance of candidate products for approval by the U.S. Military. Since many such candidate products also meet the requirements described by SAE J183 and are marketed in the private sector, the results of the LRI recommendations also impact upon commercial oils. This paper describes the background and operation of the LRI and the process by which performance of candidate engine oils and gear lubricants is reviewed.