SAE Horsepower Certification Standards Now in Use by All Three Major U.S. Carmakers
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| Ford Motor Company joins GM and Daimler-Chrysler in using SAE International's J1349 Certified Power Standard to rate engines. Ford has put two engines through the certification process—a version of the 3.5-liter V-6 engine for the 2007 Lincoln MKZ and another version for the 2007 Ford Edge and the 2007 Lincoln MKX.
The process of SAE-certifying an engine actually involves two standards: J1349, Engine Power Test Code-Spark Ignition and Compression Ignition-Net Power Rating, which describes the testing procedures, and J2723, Engine Power Test Code—Engine Power and Torque Certification, which details the third-party-witness and reporting requirements. In the past, it was felt that some sections of J1349 allowed variations in interpretation that could cause disparate test results, so SAE revised the standard in 2004. In 2005, SAE published J2723 to complement J1349.
Why two documents? According to Gary Pollak of SAE International, “Although it’s a much better standard now and it’s a lot clearer, there were still some areas that might be interpreted by somebody a little differently than by somebody else. So, in order to really ensure that all the results from user to user would be the same, we decided to go one step further and create a program whereby manufacturers would be required to not only use this new standard, J1349, but they would also be required to enlist a third-party witness. This SAE-qualified witness would be present to observe them actually doing the test and therefore everybody would have a level of confidence that the test was done in the same way.”
In order for an “SAE Certified Power” claim to be made, manufacturers must meet all of the criteria required by J2723. For example, while the tests are being run, the manufacturer must have a witness onsite who is SAE-qualified. SAE maintains a database of these authorized witnesses. J2723 also specifies that the manufacturer must submit to SAE a fully detailed report of all test results and background information. There is a required format for that report. Once SAE obtains that information from the OEMs, it is posted on a publicly accessible Web site. In addition, manufacturers must sign a statement that they are in fact certifying their numbers, with the assurance that anyone duplicating the tests will get closely similar results.
The benefits of adopting the new standards go to both the consumer and the manufacturer. Consumers have a solid measurement against which to compare vehicles, and, says Pollak, “they’ll have a much higher level of confidence if the particular engine they’re purchasing is on the SAE-certified power list.” For manufacturers, the benefits are many, among them strengthening their brand, building consumer trust, and clarifying their features. In addition, as Pollak notes, “whenever they are up against a competitive evaluation, they know how they stack up when they’re trying to benchmark themselves against a competitor’s engine. They’re starting now to rely on the data that’s posted in our database.”
As many as 40 engines have gone through the SAE power-certified process. As new engines are developed, they too will be tested using J1349 and J2723, and that information will be added to the database, making the competitive environment more easily quantifiable both for carmakers and car buyers.
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