The Petroleum Quality Institute of America

Overview: ASTM D5893 -Cold cranking viscosity or CCS - is used to simulates the viscosity of oil in crankshaft bearings during cold temperature start up.  This is another viscosity requirement specified in SAE J300 standard which defines the viscosity grade of the oil. CCS viscosity helps define the “W” or “winter” part of a multigrade oils.  As with kinematic viscosity, J300 defines mandatory ranges which must be met – one must claim the lowest “W” level met.  For a 5W-30 engine oil, numbers in the red, indicate the oil does NOT meet the requirements to be labeled a 5W oil.  This also means that the engine may not crank at the cold temperatures one may be expecting if it was truly a 5W-30 oil that the oil was designed for. Note: One should use the viscosity grade recommended by the vehicle owner’s manual.  

Cold cranking viscosity limits, determined by the CCS, are defined in the SAE J300 Standard, as shown below: