SAE J301_200607

The final approval date for Fuels and Lubricants technical reports is shown following the J-report number. This approval date is the date of final approval by the Fuels and Lubricants Council. It is effective immediately subsequent to Council approval for newly issued Standards, Recommended Practices, and Information Reports, and also for revised Information Reports. In the case of revised or cancelled Standards or Recommended Practices (used to define product quality), an 18 month grace period is advised before they become fully effective. While SAE Technical Standards Board and SAE Motor Vehicle Council Policy clearly state that SAE Standards are voluntary and that SAE does not enforce its standards, the fact remains that compliance with them can often become a non-voluntary issue. For instance, several state statutes require engine oil product labeling by viscosity grades in compliance with the SAE Viscosity Standard SAE J300. When Standards and Recommended Practices that are used to define product quality become “mandatory” in this fashion, the existence of a pre-determined consistent transition period for mandatory compliance becomes useful since the revised document is available for voluntary compliance on the day it is approved by the Fuels and Lubricants Council.