Testimonials

Have had multiple oil samples tested, and results were always prompt and easy to understand. Recently I lost a copy of results and only realized it less than an hour prior to an appointment to show the truck to a potential buyer, I called and Jason was able to get me a copy with in a few minutes. No long hold time, no automated menu, just great customer service!

That’s actually REALLY insightful thank you!

The amount of stuff in that one report alone is truly wild. I thought the intake leak diagnosis with the last car I tested was impressive, this latest one takes the cake. Coolant and fuel in the oil is one thing, but being able to tell the bearings are shot, and the piston and camshaft are grinding away? From an oil change? I mean it makes sense that it’s possible, but it’s still nuts to me that it’s as affordable as it is for the insight it gives me, it feels like I should be adding a zero or two to the price for it to make sense.

Knowing the engine is toast is one thing, but the level of toast that the oil testing came back with is an advertisement itself. I’m just gonna show it to people. The engine’s that one thing you can’t tell the health of by just looking at it. Being able to tell basically EVERYTHING about the engine by just testing the oil (and the cooling system by the coolant testing!) is nuts to me.

I cannot praise enough the invaluable information provided by BLACKSTONE Lab in each and every oil analyses performed. I have discussed this with you on multiple occasions re: my Jasper replacement on my 01 Grand Cherokee 4.0L. A Jasper installed Feb 2022 with 152k and as of 3/13/24 under 30k on this reman 4.0. I have meticulously changed the oil and sent samples to BLACKSTONE with each and every oil change, except the first 500 miles. Low oil pressures from the onset and then progressive antifreeze and metallic particulate(s) contamination demonstrated with with each sample- and great narratives with each report.

Jasper Warranty Div has everything and will soon swap out this failing eng to another 4.0. I just sent another sample 3/13 and await the analysis. And for the first time ever, a few days ago, I found mayonnaise on my oil filler cap – none in the radiator, dipstick nor the overflow tank, and never an external leak.

THANK YOU MUCHLY- it has been worth every dollar I spent!!

I am following up on this issue of the higher silicon content from my January oil report for my Jaguar XKR.  For a variety of reasons it has taken me until this weekend to check the air filters. Lo and behold both air filters showed signs of damage and wrinkling of the corners, allowing in a bit of unfiltered air.

I mentioned previously that the air filters were not easy to get to in this car. Removal and replacement involves a unique design. I now realize that I installed the air filters incorrectly the last time. The filters need to be placed into the frames and situated inside the air boxes BEFORE the bracket is wedged in; previously I had placed the frames inside the brackets and then slid the whole thing into the air boxes.  I recall it being very tight and needing to use a mallet to tap it into place. When properly installed it is still very tight but goes in with hand pressure because the gasket of the filter isn’t proving sliding resistance.  In any case I have now discarded the damaged filters and replaced them correctly with new ones.

THANK YOU for the quality of the analysis that Blackstone provides!  I would not have checked on my air filters for probably many thousands of miles had it not been for the elevated silicon finding.  I am hoping that there hasn’t been any long term damage to my engine from the approximately 5,000 miles driven with these improperly installed air filters, but there might very well have been if I continued to drive for many more thousands.

The report on the Kohler engine was spot on. The oil was probably 3 or 4 years old in that mower, but the hours on that oil was probably 100-150 at best.  The air filter had also been neglected and was saturated with dirt, so it has been replaced.

I just wanted to say a big big, thank you and express my gratitude to you and your team. We had all those emails about the Nickel content in the engine getting high and backwards and forwards with the engine overhaul is about the nickel, plated cylinders etc etc… And you guys were spot on the money and watching the trench, and sure enough, I had to bad exhaust valves and needed to replace two cylinders!!!!

I will be far more regular with my oil samples and put a lot of faith in you guys… So a huge shout out to everybody at Blackstone laboratories.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays to all of you and your families. The safety of myself and my family is in your gratitude.

Great catch, you are exactly correct… the weather had been rainy and cold, and the first halfway decent day (no rain, but cold temp), I took the car to get the oil changed at the dealer (15 minutes away) … to get the water temp to 185, and oil up into the mid triple digits, I had to let it idle longer than normal so warmed up, about 15 to 20 minutes.

On top of that, the road was cold (and Michelin Pilot Sport tires are a summer tire not at all a cold weather tire, not sticky when cold), so the car didn’t get hard driving to help it warm up and burn any fuel out of the oil.

Again, great catch, and thank you for everything.

I appreciate your oil analysis, but your write up is even better.  I shared it with my wife and she loved it.  This is our 3rd trawler, hence the name Trilogy.  Your awareness and creativity is fabulous and spot on! A huge kudos to whoever does the writeup.  It made our evening! Who knew a mundane oil analysis could put a smile on 2 faces!

I was convinced my engine had spun a bearing because of the repetitive sound of something spinning, then it froze up.  But since your report showed very little metal in the oil, I decided to keep looking.  Turns out, the starter gear got stuck and was still engaged with the flywheel gear while the engine was running.  Replaced the starter, and no more problems!

Your report saved me a lot of time and money!  Thank you so much!

That was impressive!

Attached is a video of the alternate air door. It was found during maintenance, but for it to show up on an oil sample was not what I expected.

Great work!

IMG_8077

Hey!

Just wanted to share my findings. When I received this email I decided to pull the motor and tear it down. What I found was that in one of the cylinders the piston skirt was wearing pretty bad against the cylinder wall. That would explain why the high aluminum (piston skirt), high iron (sleeve wall) and chromium (ring material) was in the oil. The funny thing is that my car was running excellent. It couldn’t have been running better. (So I thought)

Just wanted to thank you for what you guys do because I was able to save my motor from catastrophic failure. The motor is now undergoing a full rebuild. With some upgraded parts.

Thanks again!

What a sigh of relief! This made my day! Thank you guys very much, I seriously appreciate the comfort in knowing my engine is wearing properly after all the care my Grandfather and I have put into it.

P.S. Slick talk is sweet! Checked it out and it’s right up my alley!

Just wanted to send you a follow up on this last oil report. As you showed the iron had taken a sudden jump from where it was tracking. We brought the truck in and went through the top end. After opening it up we found the very beginnings of the cam and lifter failing. I was grateful to get this taken care of before things started to really wear and potentially send damaging amounts of metal through the engine causing me to have to do a full overhaul. A $35 adder to each oil change for sampling just saved me a few thousand.

I have some follow up information on this engine…

Blew up around 300 miles after this oil change, after taking apart the engine, it appears the forged pistons were rubbing against the cylinder walls, causing etching, which made compression very weak. Rod bearings were also hot spotted and were not going to last much longer. My engine builder/tuner believes that this engine did not get properly bored/honed to accept the forged pistons, and the clearance was too tight. Might have also not been properly broken in. The WRX just got a new engine put in, and hoping this one lasts much longer!

Please find attached evidence of cam follower failures in our IO540 at at 350 hours following a complete rebuild. The damage was caused by failure of the diamond coating on some cam followers. If we had been regularly sampling these defects could have been detected earlier and possibly the consequently piston damage could have been avoided.  There was apparently a bad batch of cam followers distributed at the time our engine was first remanufactured.

After receiving oil analysis from you  and before removing engine from  aircraft we borescoped the camshaft and follower access via removing the oil filler tube top of engine.  In the first image the cam lobe is ok but in others you can see the obvious preening and wear. Also note the photo of metal filings from washed oil filter element!

The moral of our story is don’t hesitate to sample, and don’t wait for engine hours to build up. We missed a warranty claim because because the problem was detected 3 years after remanufacture.

Thank you for all of the work you put into analyzing these samples. I really appreciate that you take the time to send me comments on my samples and provide insight into potential problems. This service you provide is invaluable for schmucks like me that like to drive old trucks everyday.

Your kit may have prevented and engine failure and/or subsequent loss of aircraft or life. Your folks found a small amount of silver in a sample we sent. Subsequent examination found small silver flakes in our oil filter that may have come from the master rod bearings. Out of an abundance of caution we replaced the engine. We are firm believers of your process and company.

Just wanted to let you guys know you nailed it! This engine was discovered to have excessive blow-by and low compression on two cylinders. The center engine blew a sea water hose in the Bahamas and it would have sprayed almost directly into this engine’s air filter. This result will aid the insurance claim.

You all are unbelievable. I went to an HPDE in Wisconsin at Road America. It took me two days to find a source of 93 octane fuel. Apparently Wisconsin uses 91 octane as their hi test fuel. To make up for that, I had to mix leaded race fuel with 91 octane in hopes of getting up to 93. Since I do not have cats I was not too concerned. I was laughing when lead showed up in the oil report, and you all called it right! Nice Job!!! You all are the best. Take care and thanks for world class analysis and interpretation.

You guys have been great to work with as a first time airplane owner. Thank you very much for the report.

I had my Rover on oil analysis and the first guy that actually knew what those reports said, bought the truck at the full asking price. : )

I emailed a question to you folks yesterday and got a detailed answer today! I can’t tell you how refreshing that kind of service is. After receiving my reply I took a moment to check out your website. Most impressive! and I spent an hour or more reading different sections.

When I came to the article entitled “Tales From The Oily Side” I wondered what on earth that could be about and so I read it. As a one time journalist, if someone had told me that the owner of an oil testing company could write well enough to impress me I would have laughed. But I am not laughing now! Jim Stark obviously had what it took to take on the difficult task of starting, running, and succeeding at business. But between you and me he could have just as easily have succeeded as a writer. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his account of starting Blackstone Labs and was very sorry to learn that he had passed away. Inspiring story in a time all too full of negativism.

I want to thank Blackstone for probably saving my engine in my beloved Xterra. I had my timing chains done and had the oil analyzed at the first oil change. As a result of your analysis an issue with the parts was uncovered and turned out to be a defective or improperly installed timing chain kit. As soon as I showed the report to the shop they were able to quickly diagnose and correct the issue. Thank you all so much!!

I sold my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel for $5,000 more than Kelly Blue Book. The guy who bought it said he was impressed by all the oil analyses and transmission fluid reports I had from Blackstone, and that that’s why he paid me my asking price because he doubted he would find a well cared-for vehicle. Your oil reports are worth their weight in gold when selling a used vehicle!

Best news I’ve heard after a horrible week! I was worried due to the little froth of metals on my magnetic drain plug at my last few oil changes.

My plane’s most recent oil sample was sent a couple weeks ago. Before that analysis was processed, we tore down the top of the motor to replace what we suspected were high-time, worn cylinders. My oil analysis on that last oil change arrived in my email today, and while you had no idea we were going to remove the cylinders, your analysis indicated abnormally high metals and you suspected cylinder scuffing in your summary. You were SPOT ON!  now have faith that this oil analysis is money well spent.

Wow, best news I’ve heard all year! Thanks!

You guys were totally right. I accidentally put down 0W40 when in reality this is a 0W/20.

I am amazed! You all are the best. Yup, you caught the fact that the pushrod tube gaskets were changed on both due to some leakage. Also, the front engine I had just replaced #3 and #5 cylinders after overhaul due to cracked valves. Thank you again and keep up the stellar work.

Wanted to thank you. I sent in for an oil analysis because I’d been having some overheating problems, yet did not see any obvious oil in the radiator or coolant on the dipstick. I was in year four of a five-year warranty and the report showed coolant in the engine oil. Also in the report was lead from babbit bearing degradation secondary to the coolant. Your oil report contributed to my receiving a new reman engine for my Jeep. You guys are bacon savers!

I really appreciate your personable replies attached to my reports. Puts results in perfectly understandable form. This transmission is the most difficult to drive without using the clutch that I’ve ever had. Truck is quiet so one doesn’t hear the engine. Thanks.

Just want to thank you. After I received my last terrible report I tore down the top end of the engine and found both pistons had seized in the cylinders at some point between oil changes. I believe this report saved me a ton of money. The bottom end of the engine was fine but without knowing this was happening, I would have destroyed the crankshaft and related components. Again, thank you.

Have I thanked you recently for the service you provide? Well, let me thank you now: you folks are great , and a comfort to those of us who trust our lives to our aircraft engines.

Wow – you still had on file the results of my skid steer’s sample from 2003?! I am impressed and grateful. Thanks! I will change the oil as you suggest.

Many thanks for the oil analysis. You were right about the spike in silicon! Yes, the poor air filter had suffered a backfire during the engine start. The backfire evidently occurred since the last oil change. The heat warped the air filter, allowing dirt in and depositing goo in the air duct. We just got a new air filter and cleaned up the air duct during annual inspection. I’m not sure what I did to cause the backfire. First time in 30 years of owning the plane that I’ve done that. Anyway, thanks again – your detective work was spot on! Love your newsletters and archive articles. Have a great holiday season!

This report makes me so HAPPY! Particularly on a rough Friday afternoon. Thank you guys SO MUCH!

Your analysis is spot on! Both engines had been sitting for a very long time in a salt water environment. Heads were pulled and cylinders were ball honed with pistons at BDC and sealed with a rubber plug to prevent abrasive from reaching rings. Cylinders were cleaned with purple cleaner and rinsed. A bearing cap was pulled and showed little wear. Both engines are currently performing flawlessly in St. Augustine, FL. No strange noises, no smoke. Will take your advice and change the oil.

Thank you very much for the reports! In the Focus report, it was noted that the silicon value was high. The sample was taken on July 4, 2018. In October 2017, as I was installing new spark plugs, I discovered a head gasket seal leak. I replaced the head gasket and had to also redo the spark plug installation. Hence, there could have been some intrusion from spark plug boot silicon paste, as well as dust/sand during the head gasket removal. I used some cans of air cleaner to get everything clean ahead of the installations, yet I know that contaminant could have remained present. On my way to the post office now with this 2019 sample.

Thank you for your quick analysis!!! I have used your services for decades and you have been very consistent with my airplanes and boats. I recommend you any chance I get and encourage establishing on ongoing analysis as opposed to a snapshot. I anticipate using your services in the future, but the machinery has yet to be determined.

I had a mechanic who, although he is highly regarded as a premier Subaru expert, is human and misdiagnosed my engine. He told me the engine was shot, and that I should sell my car for parts rather than investing money in repairing. While he did have strong evidence (failed compression test, knocking noise, etc.) there was also evidence to the contrary, including a perfect report from your lab. I called your lab and asked the representative how often an engine could be failing without any evidence in the oil. He strongly recommended I get a second opinion. I took this advice and hauled the car to a Subaru dealership. Within a couple hours they had it properly diagnosed and repaired (stuck oil control valve). I went from selling a $10k car for probably $1k – $2k for parts (with a $4k loan remaining), to paying $300 to repair. I paid it off and drove it for another two years, and just sold it two days ago for $7500. I can’t thank you guys enough!

You guys are awesome. Back in 2017 I had analysis done on our Hyundai sonata and you noted excessive iron in it. Now after the major recall and issues from Hyundai on metal not being cleaned out properly from the factory it all makes sense after a larger chunk of the lose metal finally lodged in our motor this past weekend and caused it to seize. Sure hind sight is 20/20 but the dealer ships are reading codes on their scanner trying to listen to noise to identify affected engines (which ours past even after the oil test…). In REALITY the dealers/Hyundai should be sending oil samples for analysis to you to identify affected vehicles! What a mess 🙁

Thanks so much guys! This just inspired so much confidence about my car. 30 years and 173k miles is a lot, and it’s so good to know the engine is in such good shape. I’m 18 and this is my first project car, I’m excited for many more miles to come!

Thanks for taking the time to explain wear rates in terms of  per hour basis. That really helped as did explaining the DC-4 “smoking gun” for my high silicon rates. I should have called about that years ago! Thanks for being a great tool in my tool box for monitoring engine health along with annual compression tests, oil changes, oil filter inspections, bore scope inspections (a $200 gem that only takes 30 minutes added onto a compression test and I have a photo record of valves, pistons and cyl walls) and my own form of cruise “trends” from engine gauge readings. Thanks again, keep up the great service.

I just wanted to drop a thank you note for the work you do. Thanks to you I don’t have to be afraid to keep using the suburban due to the noise.  Based on some youtube videos, I thought I had some mechanical issues where tearing the top end of the engine apart was the fix (replacing the roller lifter and cam shaft). Thanks to you I just saved a pretty penny (hundreds of dollars) and a weekend worth of work (if I’m lucky). Again, thank you!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

My 86 Olds Calais with 2.5 four cylinder has been saved by your oil analyses that discovered coolant in the oil. There was no overheating, milkshake in the oil, no external leaks or water vapor coming from the exhaust. Just loss of coolant over a period of time. Because of Blackstone I took it to my mechanic with test results in hand. Diagnosis: Cracked head, broken bolts and the crack in the head was allowing the head gasket to seep coolant into the oil. Caught in time.

Your data saved my engine and the car.

Yes, it has no market “value” but it is still useful and functional. Not the route many would have gone, but would have been a waste to junk the car for me. It now has a brand new head, head gasket and head bolts & the improved ones that TSBs of the period indicated should be used for these problems. I’ve gotten more pleasure and satisfaction out of this repair than I would have had with a brand new car.

Thanks to Blackstone Labs. I am very grateful for the availability of your services.

By the way, after your test showing water in the engine, the dealer tested the oil at the shop with only 30 miles on the oil and it still showed contamination from antifreeze. We don’t use this truck much anymore — if not for the oil sample, we would’ve gone out of warranty before we knew we had a problem!

Thank you guys! You don’t know how relieved I am that I don’t have to dig into the lower end. Thank you thank you! What a waste of time that would have been. Now I just need to go hunting. Probably water pump or timing belt. You guys are awesome and I’ll keep sending samples in periodically to keep an eye on it.

Good morning my beloved nerd-powered, hard-charging, dedicated & motivated Blackstone “Lab Geeks”! Say no more fam! I’m a recently retired United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant. Did my 21 years for the Country & Corps, and fought in three ground-combat tours both in Fallujah, Iraq, and Sangin, Afghanistan! I absolutely LOVE dealing with professionals like You folks! Daggone, y’all made my day with my first report for Marta’s (my lovely wife) 2015 Acura RDX. Hot damn son! Love the details, absolutely enjoyed seeing those comments written by a real professional, and the way they are written. Folks, like I said in my first e-mail few months ago…y’all got a dog-loyal customer for life. Today I’m sending you an oil sample from my 2015 Audi Q7 TDI 3.0 V6 Turbo Diesel. I got 7,000 miles on it, and I’m starting now to keep track of it as miles pile on. I’m a lab rat myself, so I’m sending each and every one of You a huge THANK YOU and what we Marines call “BRAVO ZULU (BZ)” for doing an immensely important service to your community and our fellow ‘Mericans. Keep it up you Indiana gangsters! Semper Fidelis & God Bless! P.S. Travis, as a decorated ground-combat veteran I wholeheartedly thank YOU for being a life saver brother. If you’re ever having a bad day, remember that YOU help save lives!  One of the most, if not the most, Honorable professions in this crazy world. God bless You!  MOTIVATE!!

Having this information both saves our family money in oil and transmission changes AND saves me sleepless nights worrying about what might be happening in our engines. I recommend you to everyone I know who drives a vehicle that’s worth taking care of. Happy Spring and have a great week!

I’d like to update you all on my 01 Mustang Bullitt. The lab technician stated I had very high levels of aluminum and other metals in the engine. He even took the time to call me with his concerns and provided a more detailed analysis along with suggestions based on your oil database. At this time the engine made no noticeable noises and ran great. I ran compression checks on all cylinders and every cylinder held for 30mins+ between 200-207 psi across the cylinders. Digital scope suggested that cylinders were clean and still had cross hatches after 125k miles. This led me to disassembly for further diagnosis. After pulling timing chain cover, I found chain had deeply wore into the guide on the passenger side.

I am now a complete believer in oil reports, as I would have never known about this issue until it was too late. I have now replaced the timing chain with Ford motorsport replacement and all new gaskets. I look forward to sending my oil in for analysis later this year but wanted to update you for your database and thank you for the invaluable information that saved me a motor!

Thank you for your outstanding oil analysis. Once again, you predicted engine failure. As devastating as this past week has been, your oil analysis led me to my tuner who discovered my engine was in the beginning stages of failure. Within 3 days, my car was at a local shop getting its engine pulled, then rebuilt. It was found that when the already built motor was assembled, a mere 29k miles ago, the clearance in the rod bearings were too tight. I’m thankful that I was able to have the motor pulled and torn down before it actually failed (unlike last time). And thanks you all, it saved me lots of money. I constantly refer you all to the car community. And this is an added reason I vouch and recommend you all.

Hello Blackstone Labs! Just wanted to say thank you for the excellent service you provide. I have just received the readout on my second oil change and first diff/transmission flush on my 2013 G37 coupe. The info that you folks provide has helped me to navigate the maintenance schedule on my car, and I feel much more comfortable knowing that there is data to inform any decisions I make about maintenance and how I drive.

My father also sends his (motor) oil to you folks for his 2003 Tundra, which is where I heard about you folks. We have also recently purchased a 2015 VW GTI which will be due for its first oil change in a few thousand miles, and I will also be sending my first sample from my rebuilt 2006 ZX6R soon.

In short, my family and I love your service and will continue to send you our business for each and every vehicle we own. Thanks so much for your hard work, we value the service you provide! Aloha and big mahalo!

Thank you!!! I have been happy with everything you’ve done for us over the years but you went above and beyond on this one. I received a call from Joe (I think I remember his name correctly) telling me the paperwork hadn’t been filled out and would I be able to give him info on the engine the sample came out of. I did, but only realized much later how amazingly kind it was of him to track me down! I guess it must have been through the pre-paid testers I bought – thank you for taking the time! Next time I’ll fill out the paperwork!

Thanks to the oil analysis before this one I was able to detect 3 bad exhaust valves and a broken piston ring and had the 3 cylinders overhauled. The plane was flying great so if it wasn’t for the oil analysis I would not have known anything was wrong until it could have been a disaster. In my case I was able to get things fixed before they got much worse. Thanks!

I have been using your company for a few years and greatly appreciate your services. Your reports help me monitor my collection of military vehicles and the truck I use daily. I find your comments on the reports very informative and easy to understand. So far your company has helped me save money in my F350, by not having to change the oil every 3000 miles. Being that the motor is a 7.3L, it is not cheap to change the oil if it does not require it. Also I wanted to note that the deciding factor for me to use your company was your FAQ. I must admit that I found that to be quite hilarious and it shows that you have a great company and a great staff.

Hi, This is my first oil report ever with you guys (well, ever, ever). I’ve read sample reports posted online, but the feeling I had reading words from a human about my sample was, just, unexpectedly awesome. I dunno why, but it just was. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for being awesome. Also, I put no tape on my sample bottle. Thanks!

Thank you for sending that report again. I like your service and am glad I found you guys. I have severe ptsd which means I’m paranoid and my truck is my baby. I try to keep it in tip top condition and never intend to sell it. Hopefully I will pass this amazing machine onto my son as they’re (7.3L) said to reach 1,000,000 miles regularly. Please volunteer any information regarding the longevity and health of my engine. One of my favorite parts of this whole process is that it’s not just a numbers game. Someone is on the other end hand typing additional info.

Wow that was awesome! I called the phone number, I got a PERSON not a computer, and that person was able to not only help me, but I got what I asked for via email within 30 seconds of asking. That’s customer service!

The service that you perform is a most anticipated report that I look forward to yearly. As an owner of a 30 year old classic car that I drive the %$#&^ out of, it’s always good to get your report. Kinda like a yearly check-up – am I going to live, what’s wrong, how much to fix it, how long, is it worth fixing!

Thank you for the report. Look like I am ready for a transmission rebuild. Probably will wait until we get ready to leave for the winter. You guys are a great help. Highly recommend you to my diesel truck friends.

You guys were dead on. A day before the trackday I did a boost leak test and since my methanol controller is boost actuated it triggered the pump and dumped quite a bit of methanol into the intercooler. So the car ran rich for about 5 minutes until it burnt off. Thank you guys again!

I wanted to say thank you for your prompt testing of the samples I recently sent in. I actually pulled the samples for a friend that is contemplating buying a boat and this helped him make an informed decision. You noted the difference between the two engines. Well you hit the nail on the head as this engine had been taken apart for inspection. It was determined that is was in good shape and reassembled and they decided not to open the other engine. I as well as my buddy and the seller are all impressed with your abilities. I will continue to advocate for your services. Best Regards. 

I just wanted to thank you again for rushing the oil analysis on our 450 ISM Cummins engine. We brought our motorhome into a cummins shop and discovered we had a cracked cylinder head. Your analysis is what convinced the Cummins folks to dig deeper. They had told us for 2 years there was perhaps a sticky injector. We took it upon ourselves after visiting your booth at Oshkosh to get the analysis done. So kudos to you guys for helping us figure out what the manufacturers would not.

In 2009, I purchased a new Ford F-250 pickup as a company vehicle.  I change the oil regularly and periodically send a sample in. Several weeks ago, I traded that vehicle in, which had 175,000 miles on it, and took a copy of the latest results with me. The sales manager initially said they do not take vehicles with that many miles in on trade, but after driving it and reading the oil sample report, not only did he take it on trade, he gave me more than I was expecting and said he was going to call his brother, who owns a construction business, to sell it to him. He mentioned that he’s never seen anyone bring in an oil sample report and was very impressed, stating that I obviously take very good care of my vehicles.

Bottom line is that the few dollars paid for the oil analysis has more than paid off in multiple ways. First, having the oil analyzed has helped me find the “sweet spot” for the oil change interval, which I believe, has saved a substantial amount of money over the life of the vehicle. Second, the increase in the residual value of the vehicle was dramatic simply due to taking that one piece of paper with me. My new vehicle is a Ford F-150 with the twin turbo Ecoboost engine and I’ve already had to change oil for the first time. Needless to say, the sample is on its way. Thanks again for the great service and I look forward to a continuing the relationship for a very long time.

Greetings Blackstone Team, This aircraft had the induction filter blow out of position during a start up, and continued for one flight that way.  We suspect that this is where the high silicone came from. It’s a great confidence builder in your service that such a limited event can be seen in the analysis. Thanks for the continuing great reports.

The oil analysis on the AEIO-360-B2F engine in my aircraft showed high levels of aluminum, iron, and chromium. I went back and pulled the oil screen again. We did find some ferrous metal that I had at first taken to be carbon. We found enough to suspect the camshaft so I opted to pull a jug and inspect the cam. The cam was pitted and starting to spall. The high level of aluminum was coming from the piston skirts that were severely scuffed and scored. Wrist pins and rocker shafts showed pitting as well. I believe this engine was headed for a catastrophic failure in the not-too-distant future. The engine is now getting a major overhaul to be sure we got everything. Your oil analysis may have saved my ass. Thank you. You can be sure that you will be getting a sample from me at every oil change from every airplane I own as well as those of my neighbors from now on.

Dear Blackstone Staff, Thanks for the analysis. for once I don’t have any questions. At dealer prices, for every 10K I can extend the transmission service I save about 70 dollars. I think I am going for 60K next time. Thanks again.

That was fast (especially since I included a long-winded description with the samples!). Anyway, I’m very glad I discovered your lab (via reading the ever-contentious ‘Bob the Oil Guy’ forums)….I especially appreciate the friendly, but crystal clear explanation of the results. Something that I didn’t get from my previous lab (without pulling teeth, anyway). Its obvious you read my cover-letter carefully, and addressed the specific concerns I had. Its pretty refreshing to get non-ambiguous recommendations too – that’s helpful. I’ll be sure to follow them.

This is my first experience with you guys, and I’m thoroughly impressed! The reports were great. Your question regarding the higher copper content found in the Port side was right on the money, this was the first sample taken of the two and an older Jabsco dipstick pump was used to take the sample.  I didn’t have a way to clean or flush the pump before the sample, so I’d bet that explains the higher readings.  Thanks again for the help, and I look forward to using your services in the future.

I just wanted to say “Thanks” for the fast service and the comprehensive reporting. I also wanted to let you know that I believe your assessment (reading between the lines) is correct – this motor needs to be pulled and checked. I do not trust the condition of the bearings and yeah, there was more fluid than there was supposed to be in the crankcase. The coolant (NPG+) is great stuff but it’s slicker’n snot and gets *everywhere* if I don’t pay attention to tightening all the hoses & manifolds – which is why I wanted to get the oil tested in the first place. I’ll let you know when I get it rebuilt…. and I be sending fresh samples.

Thanks for the prompt analysis of my Mooney’s oil!  I was so glad everything looked OK.  The winter was so frigid that we didn’t fly much, so I was afraid both the airplane’s oil and my arteries were full of sludge. We just came back from maintenance with 8 new spark plugs (4 fine wire for the bottom and 4 regular on top), and fresh oil to start the Spring season. No excuses for poor metabolism! Thanks again!

Blackstone team, thought you would be interested to know the following: the origin of the 200% increase in nickel was valve related. Your suggestion to check compressions and possibly borescope were right on! Five cylinders, seventy plus, and #6 was (almost) twenty lbs. Didn’t need to borescope to find the problem child. After removal of the cylinder the exhaust valve was obviously the issue. Colors like a Christmas tree…dark at one side, then dark green, then green, and finally sunset red. The mechanic estimated failure within fifty hours or thereabouts. That cylinder had over 1600 hours time in service. Since the annual and compression checks were six months away…your analysis saves me from unexpected maintenance, probably occurring far from home base and who knows what else! Thanks again.

You guys provided advanced warning and insight about bearing material wear on my old car, four years before bearing-related oil pressure issue became noticeable. Keep up the good work : )

The last report showed a large increase in titanium! Pulled the heads and popped a valve spring to find intake valve ready fall out. All 16 had hard wear due to faulty valve guides. Better the way then out on the road at speed. And GMPP could not argue, paid full repairs, $7k thank God for Blackstone Labs, this could have been real bad. All Z06 427’s need oil tested for ever.

I just wanted to thank the team at blackstone labs. I feel much better about my bike after seeing the report and thank you for the comments makes me actually feel very appreciated. I will send all my oil to yall. Customer for life thanks.

Ryan & Blackstone employees, I would just like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your help. If it were not for you I would have had to pay $7,000 for a new transmission in my 2010 car that I have not even had for a year. The shop was trying to tell me I must have topped off my transmission fluid with the wrong fluid. I obviously have never touched it I only have 68,000 miles on my car and I have only put 3,000 miles on it since I purchased it. Regardless they finally contacted my warranty company because of the results your wonderful employees sent me back and they had their own lab tech come out and test it, but they realized it was not my fault and my warranty company covered everything. So I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for  your job well done. I appreciate what you did more than you will ever know.

Hi guys –I forgot to get back to you 18 months ago after my first analysis.  You sent me a report for the Toyota WS fluid in my dad’s RAV4, which had reached the end of its useful life.  I had a shop change the filter & fluid.  The felt-like filter medium had actually started to deform, and was going to be sucked-out the top of the filter box by the pump.  With a new filter, and 8 qts of fresh fluid, I noticed an immediate improvement in shift quality.  I will definitely send you another sample in another couple years, as the vehicle doesn’t get driven much now. Keep up the good work. 

Thanks for handling with such a fast feedback. So I kind of expected higher silicon levels because I ride dusty roads lately. It shows not that high tough. As you said, light vis doesn’t hurt that bad eh? Well, I think its about time to try a heavier like 15w40. See you soon. Keep up the good work.

My car has been off the road and the track since I received the analysis on my M3 that showed high levels of copper in the oil. I’ve attached a picture of one of the bearings (actually two were “in the copper”) and truly believe that had I not gotten the early warning from my Oil Analysis the issue would have been much worse. I will continue to use Blackstone for the analysis, especially with fresh bearings in the car, to chart the health of my motor.

I’ve worked with several other labs and I love you guys and how you write reports. Becoming a big Blackstone fan.

You guys are awesome, will be sending more samples as the engine gets more mileage. The exhaust valves are titanium and the guides failed.  I want you to help me publish this data for all the Corvette owners so they can get this done. I had 5,000 miles after you saw how high titanium is and multiple experts told me it was all normal!!!!!!!!! This is the proof without tearing the motor down. And if it shows up again we will know the guides failed again.

Thanks for the good reports on these aircraft. It sure is nice to have the comment portion of these reports, it gives me something to show the customer rather just having numbers to show them. You guys get my vote (and business) for your informative reports that show more than just numbers.

Thank you so much. I’m so relieved they didn’t ruin my awesome car! You made my day!

Hello, I wanted to tell you about my 1973 searay you did an analysis on. I had the engine replaced.  When I had some time I took apart the block and found cylinder 4 had one 2 inch vertical crack on the cylinder wall.  It was an open system so I could not see any water missing. I did notice the oil looking like milk chocolate however the lab did not show much water in the oil. Anyway all the other measurements were way too high. Just thought I would update you on my findings. Thanks for your services.

Thanks for your quick response. It’s nice to know that the engine is one less thing to worry about.

I’m loving the confidence that doing the oil analysis gives that I’m not changing oil too soon.  I put a lot of money down the drain in the past. Thank you for the help! 

Thank you so much for the prompt response. I don’t use the vessel as much as I would like but I will continue to send in samples each year regardless. I’ll send another sample just before I lay it up for the winter, sometime in November. Thanks again and I look forward to working with your team. I will recommend your service to friends who I KNOW have never had their engine oil analyzed. Cheers

This is great. I have been suspecting fuel for a while now. I might consider changing the fuel pressure regulator and getting new injectors and probably swap in a new o2 at that point.

Blackstone team, I just wanted to say thank you for offering this service (and for offering it at a reasonable price!). I feel like my kid received good grades on his report card. I will be sending you another sample next summer. Thanks again

I’ve been sending you samples for five years. This report was the first one that spotted trouble. Sure enough, your diagnosis was spot on! It was a leaky intake gasket that was the most likely culprit, also causing the engine trouble light to come on. It seems the problem’s been cured. Should I change the oil again and send another sample after 2000 miles? How about using a synthetic? Again, great work guys.

Had to overhaul my 06 Columbia Freightliner. Thank goodness I took a one year warranty on it! Your samples provided the needed information that something was wrong with the motor. Had a leaking head gasket and two or three of the cylinder liners were leaking as well. Thanks for the good work.