Slick Talk: Powered By Blackstone Laboratories - Blackstone Laboratories

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178: At First Glance with Suzi Hermann Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

Looks can be very deceiving when it comes to oil, as we analysts learn day after day. Blackstone Joe sits down with fellow senior analyst Suzi Hermann to discuss some of the most common examples. When does dirty oil equal a problem? How concerning is a fuel smell? The answer lies 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

Guest: Suzi Hermann

Producer: Arryn Dennard

177: Artificial Analysis with Samir Kharbas Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

More people are turning to AI for answers, even when it comes to oil analysis. But how good are those answers? What does a machine know about oil analysis? Blackstone Joe sits down with one of our most senior analysts to find out.

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: Samir Kharbas

Producer: Arryn Dennard

176: The Way Back Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Sequel to episode 172: "Trust the Process". Getting an engine back to its old self after a problem is a lot like recovering from a runner's injury: it's easier when you keep your care team informed.

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

175: New Oil or Nah? Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

A customer sent in a sample, asking us to prove whether it was new oil, or if the shop was slacking. The answer isn't a simple 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 Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

174: No Stone Unturned Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

You don't like hearing about trouble, and we don't like reporting it. But the data calls, and we'l 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 Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

173: CVT Suspicions Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

The more info you give us, the better our analysis can be. That's never more true than when dealing with delicate machines like transmissions.

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

172: Trust the Process Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

It doesn't matter if it's a coolant leak or tendonitis. You gotta trust the 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

171: A Tailored Suit Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Unit/location averages are one of our most useful tools, though they can be a little difficult to wrap your head around at first. A customer emailed in for some clarification, and Blackstone Joe provides.

On a related note: Rhea Seehorn, please come on our show!

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

170: Additives, Then and Now Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

How are oil additives changing over the years? Blackstone Joe takes a look at Mobil 1 specifically, and how we answered a customer's question about how their additives levels varied in different samples of the same blend.

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

169: Prius Problem? May 18, 2026

Show notes

A Slick Talk listener wanted to know about the Gen 3 Prius, noting concern about EGR issues that lead to a head gasket replacement being necessary, and if our samples could indicate if something needed to be done. If there's a problem with the head gasket, coolant contamination is a telltale sign in our testing. Blackstone Joe went to the data to see how many instances of coolant there are in the 2ZR-FXE samples we've tested, and the data might 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 Adams

Producer: Arryn Dennard

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