Slick Talk: Powered By Blackstone Laboratories - Blackstone Laboratories

Latest Episodes:

88: Meet the Analyst with Brian Despain Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

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 writing. But before calling it a day, Brian presents Joe with a few instances where oil analysis saved the day for Blackstone Labs customers (34:00). Brian is a cool guy - check it out!

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

Host: Joseph Adams

Guest: Brian Despain

Producer: Joshua Straley

87: How To Make Do Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

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, Crazy Dave, about Unit IDs on Blackstone Labs reports.

Bonus: Blackstone Joe's recipe for the Greatest Chicken Salad In the World - recipe below

4-6 chicken thighs, boneless/skinless, marinaded in italian salad dressing and grilled over charcoal (or propane if you must, but c'mon)

2 poblano peppers, charred and cleaned before dicing

1 jalapeno, diced* (*can substitute pickles if you don't want spice)

1/2 red onion, diced

Juice of one 1 lemon, add zest if desired

Add mayonnaise to desired consistency

Finish with fresh chopped dill (as much as you like)

Season with salt and pepper (ideally Crazy Jane's Hamburger seasoning, if you can find it)

Host: Joseph Adams Producer: Joshua Straley

86: Meet The Analyst with Miranda Beck Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

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 much, much more. After getting to know Miranda, we wrap things up with a breakdown of an aircraft sample where the oil held crucial evidence of a cylinder-area problem, and we also break down a sample where the container may have skewed the results, finally wrapping things up with tales of oil analysis circa 1966. Great talk!

Host: Joseph Adams

Guest: Miranda Beck

Producer: Joshua Straley

85: Oil in a Day's Work Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

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. It's oil in a day's work, folks.

Host: Joseph Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

84: Whose Oil is This Anyway? Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

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 equipped in finding out -- whose oil is this anyway?

Host: Joe Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

83: BMWs & Bearings Revisited Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

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 The Catch Pan segment (19:05).

Host: Joseph Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

82: Flux it up! Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

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 is it? Why do we see it? And how should it be handled for diesel and other turbocharged engine owners (10:30)?

Host: Joseph Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

81: Ode to 2022 Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

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 answers Slick Talk's very first caller question (9:00) about a faulty MAP sensor and whether or not fuel dilution in a used oil sample might be related. Third, Joe shares his first experience in an RV-12 aircraft (13:20) - footage from this very same flight can be found on our instagram - check out the reel posted on Nov. 4th 2022. Finally, we wrap up with a voicemail shoutout from collaborator Matt B a.k.a. Garage Engineer (16:25).

Got a question or a shoutout for Blackstone Joe? Call us at: 614-407-6169 or email BlackstoneLabs@gmail.com.

Host: Joseph Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

80: High-mileage engines, when to sample a new Lycoming, and an MB makes a comeback Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

'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. Hint: it's sooner than you'd expect (05:25). Thirdly, Joe breaks down the latest sample from an MB SL500, the first since we found high levels right after the new owner had completed the purchase. If you think engines can't improve their wear profile as they age, you might want to think again.

Plus! An announcement! The Slick Talk phone lines are open. Leave a message, question, or shoutout for Blackstone Joe at 614-407-6169 to be featured on an upcoming episode.

Host: Joseph Adams

Producer: Joshua Straley

79: Magic Number Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

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 approach, breaking down the sample in its entirety and explaining why the results are high are low, and the reason why a high/low result may be indicative of a good result or a possible problem.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Slick Talk: Powered By Blackstone Laboratories – Blackstone Laboratories

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected