In 1949, the Coordinating Lubricant and Equipment Research Committee of the Coordinating Research Council, Inc. (CRC) reviewed the need for an oil test engine that could be used as a research tool for the evaluation of engine lubricants. As part of this review, a symposium was held in St. Louis, Mo., to provide descriptions of the single-cylinder research test engines existing at that time. Five engines were suggested for consideration by this committee. Since no single engine contained all of the desired features for a research-type laboratory tool, however, the CRC Coordinating Lubricant and Equipment Research Committee organized the CLR Oil Test Engine Group to develop such an engine.