SAE - Society of Automotive Engineers

The SAE is a long-standing organization which has it's roots in the early 1900's when automobiles were first becoming a reality. They serve the automotive community in a number of capacities by encouraging networking and education among those professionals that work in the automotive and related industries. They are also integrally involved in the process of setting standards for many of the production, manufacturing and testing processes that are utilized in the automotive fields, including lubrication.

Along with ILSAC (International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee), ASTM (American Society of Testing Materials) and API (American Petroleum Institute), the SAE plays a significant role in helping to set minimum performance standards for and licensing requirements for lubricants used in the automotive industries.

Specifically, most vehicle owners recognize the acronym "SAE" as being the three letters that seem always to be associated with motor oil viscosities. This is because the SAE J300 "Viscosity Grades For Engine Oils" classification guide is what is utilized to establish the viscosity of any oil. It is the classification system which is used to verify that an oil is actually a 5w30 or SAE 40 motor oil.

By establishing the ASTM testing procedures that must be run (and the minimum and maximum values that must be attained on those tests) the SAE establishes a process by which any oil company can label it's oil as being of a certain viscosity.

The most recent version of this SAE J300 document is from 2004 and sets the limits for CCS, MRV and HT/HS test methods in order to classify any motor oil as being of a particular viscosity.