We test a lot of petroleum products, so we're used to dealing with gunk. You might call us experts in grime. Whether it's fuel, metal, dirt, or something worse, figuring out what's contaminating your sample - and what that means for the unit it came from - is a critical part of the Blackstone process.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

What goes into obtaining the data we analyze? No one knows the answer to that better than Justin, the Head of Lab Operations. He joins Blackstone Joe in studio to discuss how samples are tested, including some notable insights regarding diesel fuel.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Host: Joe Adams

Guest: Justin Mellinger

Producer: Arryn Dennard

Blackstone Joe sits down with fellow analyst Brett Jenkins to talk about what unit IDs are, and to share some of their favorites.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Guest: Brett Jenkins

Producer: Arryn Dennard

As the title suggests, this episode is a motley mix of topics, both directly about our testing but also what makes us a unique batch of analysts in the industry we call home. Joe is joined once again by Ben, and the two take you through diesel fuel testing, what we look for and why it's important to have diesel fuel tested. This episode also makes the start of a new segment, "Tough Questions" where Joe and Ben details instances where the questions can go a little beyond the data, and how we work to address those situations. Lastly, to help you get to know us a little more, Joe and Ben talk their album of the week. Enjoy!

A tale as old as the industry itself - metals are high in a used oil sample and the next question is: Is this too much? Or, maybe the question will go more like "Is my engine finished?" In some cases the data will be clear, and offer a definitive yes/no to these questions. But what about situations where we have to wait and see if metals don't improve from a sample with high levels? This episode is here to detail the process in determining high levels, the various sources (e.g. poor wear, additives, wear-in) and how it's important to contextualize a high level before writing it off as the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Appetizer: Blackstone Joe returns to the focus of many FAQs, extended oil use and how to approach it. This time Joe found an interesting connection between man and machine, and why we're not all that different when it comes to finding our limits.Main course: To change the oil, or not to change the oil -- that is the question facing many owners of aircraft, vehicles, and boats as the winter season approaches. There is no hard/fast rule for every engine, though. Before proceeding with an oil change, give this show a listen to find out if you really need to, or if it's fine to leave the oil in use until after the winter season is done for.

Exciting news first: We have another Slick Talk giveaway! Steps for entry are easy, you just need to listen to our podcast for the details!Now the topic at hand: The Analyst Mindset. It's common for customers to ask questions that go something like "So, what did you really want to tell me?" Or, the question might be "Give it to me a straight, what's *really* going on here?" With that our host, Blackstone Joe, thought it was a good opportunity to dive into exactly how we approach samples, the information we want to give, and why we'll always give you an honest assessment no matter the good or bad news that might come with.

Do you know when to sample, and why it's important? If not this episode is for you! Join Joe as he breaks down three common scenarios that bring folks into the business, and what keeps them sampling going forward. So if you're an owner of anything that needs oil to do its job, chances are good this episode has more than a few helpful hints and examples to guide you into the wide world of oil analysis.You'll also hear a very important, apparel-related announcement. Thanks for listening!

We use the flashpoint test to determine fuel and how much is present in used engine oil. This test has deep roots in the history of used oil analysis at large, and Blackstone's personal history. If you're interested in uncovering fuel dilution or tracking down a fuel system issue, this episode gives the breakdown of fuel testing and how the entirety of the standard analysis tells you about how contamination might be impacting the engine and oil itself.Episode Guide: Listener Appreciation Segment (1:58)Slick Talk T-shirts! (4:15)Flashpoint definition (5:40)How to find a flashpoint (8:45)Fuel testing in the 50's (10:50)Importance of additives (14:40)Is it a problem to sample cold? 19:00

Using the wrong fluid in a Nissan CVT transmission can be a serious detriment, causing anything from rough operation to a complete failure. Used oil analysis is an invaluable tool to know with complete confidence that the correct fluid is in use. In this episode, our host Blackstone Joe gives a rundown of Nissan NS-2 and NS-3 fluids, approved oils for Nissan CVTs and how we can determine if the right or wrong fluid is in use. Episode Guide: Catch Pan Q&A - 2:00 Nissan CVTs - 3:35

In this retrospective episode, we take a look at used oil analysis, it's beginnings at the turn of the 20th century, and how it changed through the years. You'll learn there are some firm beliefs that have carried over though the years (like when to change the oil and why), as well as the test methods/practices that have coincided with complete paradigm shifts in how we look at oil and its capabilities. You'll also hear another catch pan segment featuring questions on magnetic drain plus and oil consuption on the highway versus in-town driving.

When folks start using E85, they often wonder how it might affect maintenance. Common questions are should I change the oil sooner, does E85 cause poor wear ect. We cover those questions and more in this episode of Slick Talk. Thanks to Nishan of Tuned By Nishan (check out his YouTube channel!) for bringing this topic to the show.Episode guide:1:40 - Catch Pan Questions6:10 - E85 from Blackstone perspective9:00 - Does E85 cause a low viscosity? Not Necessarily12:00 - So what if I do have a low viscosity, should I change the oil then?13:00 - E85 and water - a rarity but something to keep in mind.15:17 E85 and engine wear

Customer interaction is a big part of our day-to-day, but mainly just to discuss results and what they mean. Now with recurring Meet the Analyst segments, you have the opportunity to learn more about the person crafting the comments that set our reports apart from so many others in the industry. For this show we sat down with Ben, a relatively new presence in these parts but he's already slinging reports out with the best of them and in this show you learn more about the man himself, his Chrysler Cordoba, and how oil analysis has informed his beliefs about cars and maintenance of them.As an added bonus, we also debuted a brand new segment: Failure Or Not. For this episode we pulled some interesting data from a Nissan Frontier that certainly didn't look good, but did those results translate to a failure or is the engine still on the road? Listen to find out!Episode Guide:Tales of the Cordoba - 2:00Dream Car - 6:35The Beauty of Cheap Oil - 9:30Is this the Right Oil? - 12:45Water Meth Injection - 16:30Aircraft and the Importance of Hours on the Oil - 20:40.Failure or Not - 25:20

Oil life monitors. Chances are, your car has one on board to let you know when it’s time to change your oil out. But what if you want to run longer than what the OLM suggests? In this episode, Blackstone Joe explores how his own engine oil looked after months of the monitor reporting zero oil life.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

If you assumed we spent most of our day looking at engine, transmission, and industrial samples then you'd be right. But does it get weird, you might ask? Yes, yes it does. We'll test samples from literally anything that needs oil to do its job. Enter the first episode in a new series, "Can You Test It?" As the title suggests, this time we'll be focusing on a sample of barber chair oil. Listen as "Blackstone Joe" unpacks what the sample looked like and the insights we were able to lend. This episode also features a Q&A segment and COVID-19 update that you don't want to miss!Episode Guide:COVID-19 Update - 1:25Catch Pan Q&A - 3:20Can You Test It? - 10:53

It all started with the question "Can you find bore scoring in a Porsche engine?" Well if you're familiar with our services, you know that we can indeed find evidence of bore scoring, just like many other wear-related problems. But for Max Revs and his YouTube following, bore scoring was just one of the many topics we covered during our livestream chat. Episode Guide: 2010 Porsche Cayman analysis - 20:16Which oil is best? - 33:50Using an engine flush/cold starts - 39:40Sampling without changing the oil - 45:00All about wear-in samples - 47:40Why does diesel engine oil turn black so quickly? - 51:05Chevy 2500 analysis - 52:25Honda Accord analysis - 57:00Guessing the engine - 60:00

In these days of quarantine and stay-in-place orders, many are worried about oil going bad just from sitting. In this episode, our host Joe digs into the various applications and what sitting can mean when it comes to oil and serviceability. If you've got anything that needs oil to do its job, this episode has something for you!Episode Guide:1:55 - Unused oil3:50 - Vehicles6:00 - Aircraft and boats8:00 - ATF/Gear Lube9:00 - MaxRevs Interview Reminder!10:45 - Customer Q&A

It's a common scenario: a vehicle's OLM (oil life monitor) says it's time for an oil change, but our results don't say the same thing; in fact it's rare to find the customer couldn't have gone even longer on the oil, regardless of what the OLM % was. Why? Listen along as our host Joe dissects what goes into an OLM calculation, and why used our oil analysis  is going to take things a step further in gauging the oil's condition and health of the engine. Episode Guide: Intro and Announcement: 0-2:26, Listener Appreciation: 2:27-6:15, OLM Talk: 6:16-14:32.

With this show, we strive to not just provide the analyst's perspective; we want to hear the questions, comments, and concerns of customers too, and that's just what we have in this tenth episode of Slick Talk. Joe, senior analyst and host, sat down with his good friend, Blackstone customer, and friend of the show, Thomas, to deconstruct oil analysis -- what we can find in testing, what some of the elements mean, and how to respond to some bad results -- all through the lens of a 2013 Honda Accord.

We pulled interesting customer questions from the email files, many of them falling under the FAQ category, so what better place to provide the answers then on a podcast that is easy to find and reference when you're getting ready to send a sample in. Join Joe, our host and senior analyst as he tackles the following: I'm going to send in my second sample and want to make sure its compared to the first, what do I need to do? Does make-up oil affect your test? How about additives such as Lucas, Restore, or Sea Foam? Will an engine flush mess with my results? How new or old should an oil sample be prior to sending it in? And more!

It's rare for an engine to fail suddenly - we find it's a lot more common for a problem to crop up slowly, then it goes from a small problem to a big one. Enter the value of used oil analysis. We're checking microscopic levels, so you can catch a problem early, and that was just what happened for a recent customer and their 2013 BMW M3. Listen along with our host Joe as he details just what sort of problem was brewing in this M3, and how we caught it.

For those not familiar with used oil analysis, there can be some skepticism about what a 3.5 oz. sample of engine oil can really tell folks about their engine and the shape its in. The truth is: you can learn a lot about the engine such as how it's wearing, if the oil is holding up well, and if there is any harmful contamination. One of our customers happened to send along a narrative detailing her Subaru's UOA (used oil analysis) history and how the data matched up perfectly with the engine issues she was having. Join our host, Joe, as he digs into the car's sample history and how the car's engine oil was in fact telling the tale.

We test aircraft samples and not just a few: they're a huge part of our day-to-day. And for some analysts on staff, interest in aircraft doesn't stop with oil analysis. Amanda, senior analyst and budding pilot, joined the show to talk about her flying experience so far, as well as a couple of FAQs in aircraft analysis: 1. Why does cylinder type matter? 2. What does it mean if my engine has been inactive?

Motorcycle maintenance and restoration is a passion for Luke, one of our writers and lab operators. On this episode, Luke sat down with Joe, writer and host of Slick Talk, and gave us the skinny on what motorcycle projects he's tackled previously, as well as a couple of customer questions: Do synthetic oils cause clutch slippage? How much mileage on a sample do I need to find a wear/coolant issue? This is only our first foray into the world of motorcycles, so if you've got other topics/questions/concerns that you'd like to hear more about, just send them our way!

Oil samples from engines that are fresh out of the factory, or from recently rebuilt engines, often contain a lot of wear metal and silicon. But why is that? And why do certain parts seem to produce more metal during the wear-in process than others? These were the questions a customer asked us, and in this episode, Blackstone Joe seeks to provide some answers.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

A huge benefit of oil analysis is that you can catch problems early, before the situation is dire and you might end up losing a motor. Coolant contamination is one of those problems we look for. Join our host Joe and co-producer Kyle as they walk you through why coolant is an issue, how we find evidence of it, and what role oil analysis can play in monitoring a coolant leak. If you like what you hear, don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

"How long should I be going between oil changes?" That's a burning question for many of our customers, and oil analysis is essential in finding the ideal oil change interval for your car and the use it sees. Join our host, Joe, as he gives the analyst's perspective on testing and how we use the results to determine just how long your engine likes to have an oil in use.

Bearing wear tends to be a common concern for many M3 and M5 owners we know, and oil analysis is an essential tool for monitoring bearing wear without having to take an engine apart (and of course, for catching poor bearing wear before it turns into a serious problem or failure). But what many customers don't know is just what goes into our evaluation of bearing wear and whether or not it looks concerning for M-owners. Even if you're not a BMW owner or enthusiast, don't worry, this episode still packs plenty of worthwhile info when it comes to bearing wear and how poor wear or a problem shows up in testing. Join senior analysts Joe and Chris as they talk through the analyst's process in gauging bearing wear and how testing can be so essential in catching a problem early.

In the first episode titled "Introductions", we meet our host, Joe Adams. He gives us the lowdown on Slick Talk, a podcast that offers a bi-weekly dive into the frequently asked questions, comments, and concerns brewing in the oil analysis world. For episode one, customer questions include "Which oil is best for my Jeep 4.0L?" and "What additives should I be using?"

Oil analysis is one way to gauge your engine's health. But it isn't the only way. In this episode, Blackstone Joe breaks down what to do when oil analysis can't provide all the answers for a customer with high copper readings in their Lycoming.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Josh Straley

Brett Jenkins, senior analyst, hasn't been at Blackstone long, but she's already had a major impact on the world of oil analysis. Blackstone Joe sat down to talk with Brett to talk about the forms of sabotage that oil analysis can and can't spot in testing.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Guest: Brett Jenkins

Producer: Josh Straley

Blackstone Laboratories helps you keep your engines, transmissions, and other equipment running smoothly. But what does it take to keep Blackstone Labs going strong? Blackstone Joe talked with Erik DeMarco aka "The Guy"about the maintenance needs of an oil lab (2:25), how working at Blackstone changed his maintenance routines (21:50), and past test results in a new segment, Explain That Sample (25:50).

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Guest: Erik DeMarco

Producer: Josh Straley

This week Slick Talk is time traveling with a reading of This Ain't Your Daddy's ATF by Ryan Stark where ATF, CVTs, and the idea of "lifetime fluids" are all put under the spotlight.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Josh Straley

To begin the new year, Blackstone Joe has updates on the lab, what we're doing to improve turnaround time, and a Q&A segment regarding sampling technique, and what to do if we send you more than one sample kit.

The main event is a reading of "Landslide," a newsletter from '04 written by the founder of Blackstone Labs, Jim Stark. This is a one-of-a-kind illustration of used oil analysis and why it matters. Not only is this informative but it's a way to introduce you to our late founder, and his approach to explaining the data that made the Blackstone oil report what it is today.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Josh Straley

Featured music: "not me" by Infraction

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Blackstone Joe is ready to wrap up 2023 with another round of q&a with the analyst. Joe answers questions about changing oil change intervals when switching oil brands, pinpointing aluminum bearing wear in analysis, and why it makes sense to send older oil samples in for testing. Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169. Host: Joe Adams Producer: Joshua Straley

Is it time to change your oil? It's nowhere close to being time for the oil and engines in this week's episode. Inspired by a stray bottle of Mobil 1 5W/30 and less than satisfying answers from the Mobil Help Desk, Blackstone Joe digs into a few different examples of oil holding up well over months, years, and even decades.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

This episode was recorded during Oshkosh week, so what better time break down how we analyze aircraft samples? We always want to provide you with the most useful report we can, and that sometimes involves digging a little deeper. Depending on the context, what looks like a problem could actually be completely normal.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

From a spectral analysis covering 20 different elements, to a stable of physical tests that help determine everything from viscosity to how effective oil filtration was working, oil analysis truly is a feast of clues. As we're just a few days away from carving the turkey, Blackstone Joe thought it would be a great time to breakdown how we can use the clues in a used oil analysis to help determine the ideal oil change interval, whether you need to change the oil based on calendar time, and how we're able to detect everything from harmless flux washing off a new emissions component to coolant contamination.

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: Joe Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

To test a sample we must first unpack it, and it takes a trusted pair of hands to transfer your oil to the lab and the sample details to our system - enter Eric. He's a data clerk by title, but that doesn't quite do his work justice as he's part of the talented team in our receiving area, the front lines as it were, of Blackstone Laboratories. Eric joined Blackstone Joe to answer questions how to properly send a sample, Blackstone's work load, and some of the more interesting samples he's run into during his time at the stone. 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: Joe Adams

Guest: Eric Sanchez

Producer: Joshua Straley

President Ryan Stark returns to talk to Joe about summer flying and leaded fuel (3:40), company growth and new lab setup (11:50) before answering customer questions about magnetic drain plugs, coolant analysis, flashpoint testing, and how analysts determine an engine's true wear profile (23:50). Last but least, a response to misconceptions about our averages (39:00).

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: Joe Adams

Guest: Ryan Stark

Producer: Josh Straley

Kristin Huff, Vice President of Blackstone Laboratories, began her oil analysis journey in 2002. In the years since, Kristin has been a focal point of the operation - her one-of-a-kind wit and humor have been essential ingredients to the comments we craft, even going as so far to create the world-famous Blackstone FAQs on our website. As such, it was long overdue for Blackstone Joe to invite Kristin on the show to help break down our approach to report writing. If you ever wanted to learn what the key ingredients are in a well-written comment, the origins of the comment itself, and what makes our report comments one-of-a-kind in the industry, this episode is for you.

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: Joe Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

Blackstone Joe sat down with the producer of Slick Talk, Josh, to celebrate Slick Talk's 100th episode! Listen for a look back at memorable guest appearances, hot takes, and the journey that was starting and maintaining Slick Talk over 100 episodes of content.

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: Joe Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

Senior Analyst Suzi Herman joins Blackstone Joe for a discussion about her study of TBNs and TANs (04:10), maintaining her Corolla, Fit, and Chevy S10 (12:10), and her background before joining Blackstone Laboratories (20:00).

Read Part 1 of Suzi's TBN and TAN Newsletter.

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: Joe Adams 

Guest: Suzi Herman

Producer: Joshua Straley

Slick Talk & Blackstone Joe are back before Labor Day Weekend with another Meet the Analyst episode with Samir - senior analyst. He tells Joe how Fast & Furious planted the seeds of him being a gearhead and brought him to the Marine Corps (3:35), the journey of his '98 Silvia to the race car it is today (10:38), how working in oil analysis has changed this maintenance routines (15:00), and how customers should approach oil analysis for insurance purposes (20:30).

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: Joe Adams 

Guest: Samir Kharbas

Producer: Joshua Straley

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 the Prius today (17:20).

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: Joe Adams 

Guest: Raegan Byers

Producer: Joshua Straley

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 shoutout? Call Slick Talk at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams 

Producer: Joshua Straley

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 with ⁠⁠our free test kit!⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Call Slick Talk at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams 

Producer: Joshua Straley

It's common to see some variation from one sample to the next. But when is this fluctuation concerning, and when is it actually normal?

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get your free test kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

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 test kit!⁠

Host: Joe Adams 

Producer: Joshua Straley

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 looked in its Blackstone Laboratories samples.

Follow Justin on Instagram and YouTube.

Ready to start your oil analysis journey? Get started with our free test kit!

Host: Joe Adams

Guest: Justin Kilmer

Producer: Joshua Straley