What Is SAE J1930?

What is SAE J1930?
SAE J1930 refers to terminology that conforms to the Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice SAE J1930.

Why is SAE J1930 necessary?
The use of SAE J1930 terminology for emission related systems and components is required by the California Air Resources Board for new Service Manuals beginning with the 1993 model year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also proposed regulations requiring the use of J1930 terminology beginning in model year 1994.

While this change in terminology may be troublesome in the beginning for technicians accustomed to previous component and system names, standardization within the automotive industry will (in time) reduce the confusion that can result from different terms for the same component. For example, the term "Automatic Idle Control Valve" or "AIC" used by one manufacturer is termed by other manufacturers as: "Electronic Air Control Valve," "Idle Stabilizer Valve," "Auxiliary Air Control Valve," "Air Control Valve," and "Constant Idle Speed Valve." Beginning in 1993, the new J1930 term "Idle Air Control Valve" will be used by every automotive manufacturer when referring to this component.

How were SAE J1930 terms selected?
SAE J1930 terms were not selected on the basis of what component names were the ones commonly used by most auto manufacturers. Instead, the SAE used a logical method for describing components in which modifiers are added to a base word in order of decreasing significance.

To use the example above: Idle Air Control Valve. The base word is "valve." What kind of valve is it? A "control" valve. What does it control? "Air." What kind of air? "Idle" air. Along with the new terms, standard abbreviations and acronyms are used for the base word modifiers. In the example above, Idle Air Control Valve is abbreviated as "IAC" Valve.

What if I'm not familiar with SAE J1930?
To assist technicians who may not be familiar with SAE J1930 terminology, we have supplied a manufacturer's conversion list which compares the old and new terms. Additional information is also supplied within specific articles and sections to avoid confusion during this transition.