Cummins approves Valvoline’s Premium Blue Gen 2 engine oil for 100,000-mile ODIs

NASHVILLE—Can a fleet really extend an oil drain interval to over 100,000 miles? If so, that could make ODIs an annual PM for many trucks. According to testing by leading engine OEM Cummins, Valvoline is the first to achieve this feat with its Premium Blue One Solution Gen 2 heavy-duty engine oil. The formula was launched in 2020 with the expectation of oil changes at 75,000 miles, but now Cummins has authorized an additional 25,000 miles for its X15 diesel and natural gas platforms.

Cummins performed extensive real-world testing and oil sampling to confirm the new ODI benchmark, according to John Walters, Valvoline’s GM and VP for the Heavy Duty Americas channel, who presented the information at the American Trucking Associations Technology & Maintenance Council 2026 Annual Meeting.

“This milestone means that equipment can spend more time on the job and less time being serviced,” he said. “This is an enormous benefit to operators looking to maximize their capital investments.”

Walters offered that on rare occasions, fleets have already reached 100,000-mile ODIs through extensive oil sampling and working closely with their engine OEM.

“What makes this unique is that if you fit within the parameters that Cummins has described, you can take the 100,000-mile drain interval, kind of no questions asked, no additional oil analysis needed,” he asserted.

Valvoline, which is celebrating its 160^th anniversary this year, also said Premium Blue Gen 2 has 60 million miles of testing overall.

Walters noted that the record-breaking extended drain intervals will allow fleets to streamline maintenance schedules and minimize downtime, saving time and money in the process. Maintenance departments will also benefit from fewer service events and less oil consumed.

At a basic level, Walters said the Premium Blue Gen was also the first tri-fuel engine oil—compatible with gas, diesel, and natural gas engines—alleviating the need for mixed-fuel fleets to keep several types of engine oil. The oil is approved for use in several light-, medium-, and heavy-duty engine types, with Walters noting the formulation “provides improved oxidation and thermal stability.”

It’s important to note this ODI benchmark is for existing engines and not the NOx-compliant 2027 X15, which will use engine oil falling under the American Petroleum Institute’s PC-12 labeling.