Slick Talk: Powered By Blackstone Laboratories

Senior Analyst Raegan Byers is back from California and joins Blackstone Joe with two stories about oil analysis. One about her Toyota Prius (2:30). The other about her husband's Chevy S10 that could be developing its own bearing problem (8:00). Then, Blackstone Joe digs more into Raegan's biology background, how she relates it to oil analysis (10:40), and how's she's maintaining t...

What does oil analysis and the Dennis Quad action movie Vantage Point have in common? Things can look different from where you're standing. Blackstone Joe breaks down a couple instances where problems in oil analysis don't always make themselves known right away, how you can eliminate variables to find the source of the problem, and why it pays to watch and wait. Have a question or shoutou...

Soot. The byproduct of combustion. Every engine is going to have a little of it, but it's a very big deal for diesel engines. So. How much soot is too much? Blackstone Joe breaks everything you need to know about soot, how it will affect an engine, and what Blackstone Laboratories can tell you about the soot levels in your latest sample. Ready to start your oil analysis journey? Get started wi...

Blackstone Joe breaks down questions and concerns ranging from the impact of poor air quality (2:30), responding to skepticism about sampling without changing the oil, (5:25), a customer outside the US wonders how they can get in on Blackstone oil analysis (13:50), and the latest sample from a WRX breaks a nice trend (15:40). Ready to start your oil analysis journey? Get started with  ⁠our free te...

Everyone wants their car, pick-up truck, or mini-van's engine to run for a long time. But few people would ever envision an engine lasting over 1,000,000 miles. Justin Kilmer did just that with his Honda Accord's V6. Blackstone Joe talks with Justin Kilmer about his record-setting million miles on his Honda Accord's V-6, the maintenance it took to reach that mark, and how the engine lo...

After years of looking at oil reports, especially the reports that don't look so good due to poor wear or contamination, it's important to single out and appreciate the engines that are producing truly exceptional results. This episode takes aim at a 2.0L Turbo EcoBoost sample that just looked too good for our host, Blackstone Joe, to pass up. Listen as he breaks down what made the report...

You should never read the comments, but Blackstone Joe braved them for this pod. Blackstone Joe addresses the questions and concerns quite a few commenters had about him sampling his Chevy Blazer without changing its oil. Ready to start your oil analysis journey? Get your free test kit  ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . Have a question or shoutout? Call Slick Talk at 614-407-6169. Host: Joseph Adams Producer: Joshua Str...

Senior Analyst Brian Despain is back on Slick Talk to talk in-depth with Blackstone Joe about an 17,000-mile oil change interval on his Honda Civic, why the results didn't look great, and how Brian got the numbers back on track. Ready to start your oil analysis journey? Get your free test kit  ⁠here⁠ . Have a question or shoutout? Call Slick Talk at 614-407-6169. Host: Joseph Adams Producer: J...

Your latest dose of oil analysis podcasting is here. This week Blackstone Joe answers a listener question about fuel dilution and water contamination in Yamaha outboard engines (1:20) then discusses three samples (reclaimed fuel oil, industrial hydraulic oil, and one from a Subaru Outback) that required dialing up the customer for more information (5:30). Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ...

Meet Brian! His voice may be familiar to you already if you've called in to discuss one of your reports, but today we go beyond the report page and meet the man behind the keys. Blackstone Joe sat down with Brian to learn what brought Brian to the 'stone - it's a winding road that includes a stint with the Marines, narrowly escaping an arranged marriage, and talents beyond report writi...

The pandemic, inflation, and shortages haven't made maintenance easy over the past three years. Customers can't find their usual oil or their usual choice of filter in some cases. This week Blackstone Joe digs into a few situations where oil analysis can help customers sleep easier at night when trying to make do with their engines. Plus, Joe answers a question from friend of the pod, Craz...

We know our customers are interested in learning all they can about the data, but what about the analyst themselves? Hard-hitting questions like, "Are you a cat or dog person," "coffee or tea," "what superpowers did you acquire during quarantine," the list goes on. Blackstone Joe sat down with senior analyst Miranda Beck to break down these very same questions, and mu...

Every oil has a story, and that's not only the tagline for the best petroleum-based podcast. In this episode, Blackstone Joe breaks down an application for used oil analysis that was new to him, as well as a look behind the scenes of how Blackstone connects with customers beyond the data. We wrap things up with a tale of an interesting sampling technique that had a noticeable impact on the results...

The eye test for oil is good for many things, but determining the exact viscosity, additive package, and severity of contamination is a bridge too far even for the far-sighted among us. The Blackstone Labs standard analysis will break down the viscosity range the oil falls in, additive elements, and the presence of contaminants such as fuel or coolant. Episode 84 is all about how you'll be better...

Blackstone Joe is revisiting one of Slick Talk's very first subjects this week - BMWs and rod bearing wear (3:30). Joe digs into the most at risk engines, how to spot a bearing problem in oil analysis, and a few things to keep in mind when building trends for your own car. And then, Joe tackles a listener question about extended oil use, oil filtration, and how it can affect piston rings in the Th...

The New Year is off to an interesting start for Slick Talk. In Episode 82, Blackstone Joe addresses a customer's unique way of testing the pH of a coolant samples (1:10). Then, a customer's curiosity about the difference between hot and cold sampling gives Slick Talk its first Catch Pan segment  of 2023 (6:25), and then finally Joe finally digs into today's main topic of flux compound. What i...

What was it that Matthew McConaughey said about looking back to move forward? Well, Blackstone Joe must have watched one too many of those commercials, because the start of 2023 finds our host looking back on 2022, fondly of course, with a few different highlights in mind. First, we revisit a past episode and dig a little deeper into low and no-oil situations (2:18).  Next, Blackstone Joe ans...

'Tis the Pod before Christmas and Blackstone Joe is back with a triple-header of oil analysis topics. Do high wear levels go hand in hand with a high-mileage motor? A Toyota Tacoma and its 1GR-FE hitting 400,000 miles provide insight into our expectations from an aging engine (01:54). Then, Joe tackles an email question about what's the right time to sample a freshly rebuilt Lycoming IO-540 is. Hi...

A customer recently emailed and had the question: is there a magic number somewhere on this report? They were asking if in any particular area, one number or result could tell them about the overall condition of their engine. Blackstone Joe thought this was an ideal time to break down the lack of an overall score/grade on our oil report, and why we instead opt for a much more comprehensive approac...

A podcast listener wrote in with an interesting question: how do we ensure consistency in the results, no matter who the analyst is? At Blackstone, there is a multi-layered review process that starts with the login process and carries through to the final report. Blackstone Joe is here to break down that approach, as well as give a special s/o to an engine with results that he just couldn't help b...

It's a common scenario in our line of work: engine runs dangerously low on oil and the owner is left to wonder what's the damage. Are repairs, replacement, or a rebuild inevitable? Or, did the engine escape without any obvious issues showing up in the used oil? Blackstone Joe is here to break down two scenarios with very different outcomes, detailing why it's important to not to jump to conclusion...

The oil you buy probably has a recommended amount of mileage on it, "Good for xxx miles!" the text will usually read. When sending in a sample of the used oil, though, we often find ourselves recommending an interval that contradicts whatever is promised on the label, and some owners (rightfully so) want to know, "What gives?" In episode 76, Blackstone Joe is here to break down one of those very s...

Should I sample the first oil change? The short answer: yes. But you'll want to listen as Blackstone Joe breaks down the reason why sampling the first oil change is valuable, even if there is likely to be excess metal and silicon from wear-in and sealer washing outShould I wait to sample until I suspect a problem? It's always a good idea to check on your engine when you think something is wrong, b...

Picture this: the engine you own is facing either certain contamination or the possibility thereof, and you're now faced with deciding how to proceed with the maintenance plan. You might be wondering whether you should use an additive, if recent work might have impacted the results, or how you can go about looking for symptoms of a problem on your end. In this episode, Blackstone Joe is here to br...

Today's questions include:What's the difference between gas/diesel and aircraft engine oils? Does it matter if I'm using a filter magnet? Will residual additive skew results? How much oil do I need to sample? What information slip to use? Is oil analysis worthwhile before buying?