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.