ATLANTA. For fleets operating multiple truck engine types, Valvoline has developed a new “universal” motor oil called Premium Blue One Solution 9200; a “one size fits all” oil that can be used CK-4-approved diesel engines, SN-approved gasoline engines, and natural gas engines.
Developed over three years and 2.2 million miles of testing in part through work with Cummins Inc., David Young, vice president of Valvoline’s heavy duty division, said the new “One Solution” oil is designed to primarily address concerns over misapplication issues; that is, putting the wrong oil in the wrong engine for “mixed motor” fleets. “While there were previously oils in the marketplace that could be used in diesel and gas engines, there was not one approved across all fuel types – until now,” he added during a press conference at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) 2018 annual meeting.
Roger England, Valvoline’s technical director, said that as diesel engines have reduced “soot loading” due to post-2010 aftertreatment systems using diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, they’ve begun to “match” the operating footprint of natural gas engines, thus providing the “opportunity” to formulate a “universal” motor oil.
“Today’s diesels generate low soot like a natural gas engine and create water like a natural gas engine at idle,” he explained. “That lower and lower soot level [from diesel engines] has been the key.”
On top of that, England said the new CK-4 engine oil standard adopted in 2016 has led to oil formulations that are more than sufficient to handle the operating environment of gasoline motors. “This is a ‘Mack Daddy’ oil – it offers far more of what you need for a gasoline engine,” he explained.
At the end of the day, Young said the benefit to using the Premium Blue One Solution oil is twofold: consolidation of motor oil purchases and eliminating the possibility of misapplication. “Fleets are telling us they don’t want to stock more than one oil; just having one oil is a cost saver to them,” he noted.
In terms of pricing, Valvoline said its Premium Blue One Solution – which is only being sold in bulk right now – will be at a “similar” price point for natural gas-only motor oils but will more expensive than either diesel- or gasoline-only oils. However, Young stressed that mixed-engine fleets should recoup that extra premium via lower inventory costs as they’ll only need to stock one motor oil blend.
