American Soc. of Testing Materials

The ASTM, quite simply, is an organization whose primary purpose is to assist in the development of international standards for innumerable processes utilized within countless different industries.

With regards to motor oils and lubricants, the most common place that you will run into references to ASTM will be in regards to test methods utilized to generate technical specifications for the motor oils you might be considering. In most cases, when you look at the technical data sheet for a motor oil, you will find that the vast majority of the tests that were run on the oil should have an ASTM test method number listed next to the test results.

If you do not see an ASTM test method number, you have no way to guarantee that the company has used a standardized test method. Without this guarantee, you have no way to be sure you're making an apples to apples comparison of technical specifications between two different oils.

However, if two different oil companies list test results on their data sheet, and both companies reference the ASTM test method number (along with any pertinent test method parameters), then you can have confidence that you are making an apples to apples comparison of the numbers.

Having ASTM test method standards is an invaluable tool in being able to not only categorize and certify motor oils, but also in the process of comparing various motor oils to determine which oil serves your needs best. Look for the ASTM test method number for guaranteed repeatability and validity of test results.