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.