The difference between API and ACEA

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API quality grades are divided into three categories: The first category is suitable for gasoline engines and starts with the letter S; the quality grades, from lowest to highest, are API SJ, SL, SM, SN, SN+； The second category is applicable to diesel engines; it starts with the letter C, and the quality grades, from lowest to highest, are API CF4, CH-4, CI-4, CJ-4, CK-4, FA-4 ； The third category is the gasoline-diesel universal type, where both S and C are present, such as API SN/CF. ACEA quality grades are also divided into three categories, of which gasoline and diesel fall under one of them. The first category is the universal type for gasoline and diesel, with both A and B grades available; the quality grades, from lowest to highest, are A3/B3, A3/B4, and A5/B5. (A represents gasoline engine oil, B represents diesel engine oil) ； The second category consists of gasoline engines equipped with after-treatment devices; they start with the letter C, and the quality grades, from lowest to highest, are C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 ； The third category is designed for heavy-duty diesel engines; it starts with the letter E, and the quality grades, from lowest to highest, are E4, E6, E7, and E9.