Slick Talk: Powered By Blackstone Laboratories
168 episodes — Page 1 of 4
168: Filtration Forensics
167: Blackstone Social
166: Hot for Answers
Typical turnaround for a report is a few weeks after you've shipped the sample to us, depending on factors like distance and weather. But sometimes you need answers ASAP, and that's where our "hot run" comes in. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
165: Evan's Waterless, a Saga of Mixed Proportions
This week on Slick Talk: no water, no problem. We say our testing is great at detecting coolant, but how true is that? Time for a science experiment.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
164: Oil the World's a Stage
How is theatre like oil analysis? This was a burning question that could only be answered by a couple of Fort Wayne's premiere talents: Blackstone Joe and fellow senior analyst Augustia Robinson. 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 AdamsGuest: Augustia RobinsonProducer: Arryn Dennard
163: Youtube & You
This one's a three-course meal. Starting with a light Q&A aperitif, we move on to the main course of addressing some AI shenanigans, then move on to a delicious dessert consisting of one customer's truly exceptional tutorial. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
162: Instagram Inquiries
Everyone is on social media these days, and that includes us. When email is too formal and phone calls are too unwieldy, know you can always send us a message on Facebook or Instagram. Today's episode is thanks to one such message. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
161: Calendar Change
"Change the oil every 5,000 miles or 6 months," is the conventional wisdom, but how well does that hold up in this modern age? A sample came in recently from an engine that hadn't seen an oil change in a few years. What does all that time sitting in the sump do to the oil? As it turns out, not much.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
160: Breaking, Not Break-In
The break-in process tends to result in high wear metals. So when a fresh engine has a problem, how can we tell? 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
159: Context Helps
Here's the skinny: a sample came in with a blank oil slip, and high wear metals .Maybe we're looking at an engine with a problem, or a transmission fresh from the factory. Blackstone Joe outlines the process for finding out those critical details. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
158: Let's Talk Triage
Bad news: we found coolant in your engine, and parts are wearing heavily. What now?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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
157: High Alts and Low TBNs
The TBN is a popular test for automotive engine oil, and it's gaining traction in the aviation world, too. But is it a useful test for aircraft oil? Let's discuss.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
156: Filtering Concerns
We talk often about whether you can keep a fill of oil in use longer. But what about an oil filter? And when is installing a bypass system a good idea? 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
155: Coolant Testing and Turkey Temps
There's a lot we can tell you about your coolant, and there's a lot we can't. Blackstone Joe demonstrates our limits, and sprinkles in a little culinary advice ahead of the coming holidays. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
154: The Recipe
"Extended Oil Interval" isn't your typical Thanksgiving staple, but we've got a good recipe to share regardless. No actual food-based recipes included in this one; some people got a bit touchy about that last time.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
153: Oil in a Day's Work Vol. 2
We get samples from a lot of different unit types. Trucks, boats, planes -- if it uses oil, chances are we've seen it at least once. In this episode, Blackstone Joe breaks down three reports from three different systems, detailing how we approach analysis for each one.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
152: The Flush
Engine flushes! What do they do and how do they show up in oil analysis? Blackstone Joe has the answers. Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169.Host: Joe AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
151: Stump the Analyst
Some samples leave us with more questions than answers, such as: How does an air-cooled engine develop a coolant leak? Blackstone Joe invites you to send us your answers to that, and other questions raised by today's doozy of a report. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
150: Running 70s Oil in a 20s Engine
What happens when you put tractor oil from 1975 into a modern lawnmower engine? That's just what analyst Chris Tulley was wondering -- so then he went and did it!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 AdamsProducer: Arryn DennardGuest: Chris Tulley
149: Q&A with the Analyst
You had questions, and Blackstone Joe has answers. Topics include: can you sample even if you've added fresh oil over an oil interval? Is fuel dilution or oil consumption factored into the universal averages? What constitutes a "known problem" anyhow? 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
148: All About Averages
Universal averages! Unit/location averages! Those are included with every oil report, but what do they mean? 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
147: Too School for Cool(ant)
We're often asked by potential customers what good oil analysis can serve for someone who's just a regular person trying to take care of their normal old car. To that, we have an answer: early detection of a problem. In this episode, Blackstone Joe relates a case of oil analysis catching a Range Rover's coolant problem before it became an expensive nightmare.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
146: Oil Contaminating Oil
A customer had a question for us: can we find evidence of automotive oil in their aviation engine's used oil? Fortunately, Blackstone Joe has the answer.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
145: Fill in the Blank
Blackstone Labs aren't the only oil analyzers out there, and sometimes customers come to us with reports from other labs (which we will always accept and add to your file, for free)! In this episode, Joe goes through how we handle those reports, what we can do with the info, and what Blackstone offers that other labs don't.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
144: The Blood Test
Having your blood tested is a lot like having your oil tested. How do we know? Because Blackstone Joe went and did it!Want to read about Ryan's cholesterol? Click here.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
143: The Unspoken Question
We get asked a lot of questions, but just as often, we don't get asked anything at all. When we receive a sample with little to no information, how do we figure out what the customer might want to know? Blackstone Joe has the 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
142: Retrospective - No Time to Change
Is it time to change your oil? We addressed that question back in episode 105: No Time To Change. Blackstone Joe revisits that episode, and examines how our perspective has shifted since then.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 AdamsProducers: Joshua Straley and Arryn Dennard
141: Meet the Analyst with Augustia Robinson
Meet Augustia! Another of our new bright stars, Augustia shares how her love of writing and knack for science brought her into the Blackstone fold. She and Blackstone Joe discuss what it's like to be a new writer, how they find the creativity necessary to crank out report after report, and share a few tidbits of advice for any potential new analysts.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn DennardGuest: Augustia Robinson
140: Coaching Up
Oil analysis is a complicated topic, and no one knows that better than a freshly hired Blackstone writer. Helping new analysts master the nuances of the various engines, industrial applications, fuels, and other samples we see on a daily basis is one of the most important responsibilities senior analysts have. Teaching new writers how to communicate that info is a whole other beast. This episode explores how we at Blackstone go about training the analysts that go on to provide you vital info with every sample.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
139: Meet the Analyst with Chris Tulley
Meet Chris! One of our brightest up-and-coming junior analysts, Chris has also recently taken responsibility for the newsletters we send out quarterly. He joins Blackstone Joe in studio to talk about how his history as a journalist informs his report writing style, and how the writers around him inspire his current work. 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 AdamsProducer: Arryn DennardGuest: Chris Tulley
138: Moving from the TBN with Ryan Stark
You might have noticed a change to our gas/diesel engine oil info slips: we no longer include the question, "Would you like a TBN?" President Ryan Stark joins Blackstone Joe in studio to discuss where that change comes from.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
137: Sneak Peek
What's more stressful than buying a used vehicle? Not much, especially when you don't have a lot of info about the vehicle (car, boat, plane, etc.) in question. Fortunately, oil analysis can shed some light.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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
136: Redline Rarity
What kind of vehicle, fresh off the assembly line, would see the sort of use that results in frequent redlining? The answer may surprise you!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 AdamsProducer: Arryn Dennard
135: Marriage Material
You might be, but your oil isn't! Every system could use an oil change once in a while, and here's why. 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
134: What to Expect When You're Extending
What happens when you run longer between oil changes? What changes to the data do we anticipate, and what should stay the same? Blackstone Joe explores that this episode, and also responds to some interesting YouTube comments left for the previous pod. Correction: We mistakenly refer to this episode as number 135, and the previous one as 134. 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
133: They Said, We Said
We take a lot of things into consideration when determining whether to recommend a longer oil interval or not. More than just the quality of the oil can influence our decision. As Blackstone Joe can attest this episode, metal content is among those deciding factors. 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
132: Beyond the Report Page
Communication is the name of the game here at Blackstone Labs. Oil analysis is a complicated topic, and it's natural for customers to have questions or misunderstandings about what's expected in an oil report. In this instance, a question regarding a sample's viscosity becomes a valuable teaching moment. 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
131: Aftermarket Additives and Analysis
There are plenty of products besides just oil that you can put in your engine. Motor Honey, Lucas Oil Stabilizer, Engine Restore, the list is as packed as the shelves at an auto care center. How they show up in analysis is just as varied. As Blackstone Joe can attest, some make a big splash in analysis, while others are a little more mysterious... 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
130: When to Change?
Answer: It depends! (But here are some tips to help you find your way.) 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
129: Age is Just a Number
There's an expiration date on just about everything, so what about engine oil? It's not uncommon for us to receive samples that have been in the sump for a few years, and a lot of customers wonder how that calendar time affects the oil. The answers, as always, lie in the data. 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
128: Method to the Madness
We have a few guidelines for how to properly sample your oil. Crazy as it seems, there's a reason for that. 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
127: Synthetic Intelligence vs. Conventional
With A.I. technology becoming more popular as a source for information and advice, you may be wondering what info it can provide you about your engine and the oil it's running. We were wondering that as well, which is why we decided to ask ChatGPT some of the most common questions we receive. 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
126: Oil of Anarchy
Riding hell for leather asks a lot of a motorcycle's engine, but some are up to the challenge. Is yours? There's only one way to find out. JKMoto's Oil Analysis with Slick Talk's Joe Adams 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
125: Lost in Translation
The world is full of mysteries. A listener reached out to let us know about an interesting discrepancy between Japanese and American manuals for the FA24F engine. To get some answers, there's only one option. We have to go back... to the data. 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
124: Dirty Data
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. Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169. Host: Joe Adams Producer: Arryn Dennard
123: Diesel, Data, and More with Justin Mellinger
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. Have a question or shoutout? Leave a message for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169. Host: Joe Adams Guest: Justin Mellinger Producer: Arryn Dennard
122: The Blackstone Approach
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
121: Shifts in the Data
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
120: Forum Fictions
There are a lot of forums out there dedicated to engines and oils, and sometimes our name gets pulled into the discussion. Blackstone Joe is here to set the record straight. 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
119: TBNs & TANs Revisited feat. Suzi Herman
Senior Analyst Suzi Herman is back, with a follow-up to her popular "TBN/TAN: Do You Need One?" newsletter. She had a simple question: how does heat affect the TBN/TAN of an oil? The answer wasn’t quite what she or Blackstone Joe expected. Read Part 1 of Suzi’s TBN/TAN Newsletter here. Out now! Read Part 2 of Suzi’s TBN/TAN Newsletter here. 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: Suzi Herman Producer: Arryn Dennard