Blackstone - used oil analysis

[ramffml]

Interesting. I was just reading bitog this morning and stumbled on a recent Amsoil 5w-30 HM VOA thread, he sent the results to both Blackstone and Speed Diagnostixs. Looks like significant difference in viscosity between the two. Amsoil says the oil should be at about 11, SD said it was 10.7 (within margin), BS said it was 9.9. Came from the same bottle/batch.

Other measurements were within margin of error with both samples.

Might be time to switch. What will I do with the 5 free BS sample bottles still on my shelf though? Decisions....

 

[HEMIMANN]

One of the few things I miss as Mobil Industrial Lube Engineer is their oil analysis service. Was really good, all sorts of info beyond Blackstone.

With @Wild one comment, maybe I should try Lake Speed's? I have a GDI sooty sample coming up in April.

 

[Wild one]

Interesting. I was just reading bitog this morning and stumbled on a recent Amsoil 5w-30 HM VOA thread, he sent the results to both Blackstone and Speed Diagnostixs. Looks like significant difference in viscosity between the two. Amsoil says the oil should be at about 11, SD said it was 10.7 (within margin), BS said it was 9.9. Came from the same bottle/batch.

Other measurements were within margin of error with both samples.

Might be time to switch. What will I do with the 5 free BS sample bottles still on my shelf though? Decisions....

Use them up,lol. I have a local Finning/Cat dealer about 10 minutes away,and i've used their services and never had any complaints

 

[SD2020]

Interesting. I was just reading bitog this morning and stumbled on a recent Amsoil 5w-30 HM VOA thread, he sent the results to both Blackstone and Speed Diagnostixs. Looks like significant difference in viscosity between the two. Amsoil says the oil should be at about 11, SD said it was 10.7 (within margin), BS said it was 9.9. Came from the same bottle/batch.

Other measurements were within margin of error with both samples.

Might be time to switch. What will I do with the 5 free BS sample bottles still on my shelf though? Decisions....

Just use them up and shorten your intervals a tad if you are concerned.

 

[RamMan381]

Yearly oil analysis for my 2016 Ram 1500 5.7. The fuel dilution is due to me not properly warming the truck up and driving it prior to taking an oil sample. This oil also had 1,500 of the miles towing my 26’ camp trailer with the truck bed also loaded with another 600 lbs. Strong headwinds and numerous steep grades.

 

[Burla]

Yearly oil analysis for my 2016 Ram 1500 5.7. The fuel dilution is due to me not properly warming the truck up and driving it prior to taking an oil sample. This oil also had 1,500 of the miles towing my 26’ camp trailer with the truck bed also loaded with another 600 lbs. Strong headwinds and numerous steep grades.

Puzzling, very well built oil with nearly 1k ppm mag and good CA. I might have some advanced formula bgmoa on hand in case you ever went over 9k miles, I know we cant see the tbn for other runs. Just a little puzzling small issue.

Might want to run some redline si-1 clean injectors? Good report, ever think about going up to 0w30 or 5w30 for a run? 2016 tolerances are open I wonder how the wear with be on SS 5w30 which is a thin 5w30 and also a well built oil. thanks for posting...

 

[SD2020]

As soon as winter hit here, it made fuel dilution noticeable on my oil sample. Short driving certainly does not help when its very cold outside. I watched a Lake Speed, recent video, he mentioned that letting your vehicle warm up at idle does not help the situation. He mentions to let it warm up only long enough to get the fast idle down then go ahead and drive off but don't drive it hard till its warm. This will ensure the vehicle warms up quicker and will result in less fuel dilution from cold clearances. Interesting theory.

 

[Wild one]

As soon as winter hit here, it made fuel dilution noticeable on my oil sample. Short driving certainly does not help when its very cold outside. I watched a Lake Speed, recent video, he mentioned that letting your vehicle warm up at idle does not help the situation. He mentions to let it warm up only long enough to get the fast idle down then go ahead and drive off but don't drive it hard till its warm. This will ensure the vehicle warms up quicker and will result in less fuel dilution from cold clearances. Interesting theory.

That's not a new idea by a long shot,it's been common knowledge for at least 20 years or more

 

[HEMIMANN]

I'm on Blackstone mailing list. Just in this morning, they are removing optional TBN test checkbox from test kits, yet you can still request by writing it in. Also, you can request the antillary test TAN (Total Acid Number) test. This measures how much oxidation your oil has. TBN measures how much additive buffer remains. It makes far more sense to condemn oil with too much oxidation than too little remaining additive. Same as soot, though Blackstone doesn't provide this test. Which is become more important due to GDI engines (was always critical for diesels). Measuring soot level tells you if your detergent / dispersant soot-holding capability is used up (saturated).

Me, I'm trying Lake Speed's Speednostix or whatever it's called this spring.

 

[Yardbird]

After waiting almost 5 weeks for my last test from Blackstone, I decided SPEEDiagnostix was getting my business. They claim turnaround within a week.

Since they are located less than an hour from me, I'm hoping for the best, and supporting a local company while getting my test.

 

[HEMIMANN]

After waiting almost 5 weeks for my last test from Blackstone, I decided SPEEDiagnostix was getting my business. They claim turnaround within a week.

Since they are located less than an hour from me, I'm hoping for the best, and supporting a local company while getting my test.

Please tell us how it goes.

 

[Yardbird]

Please tell us how it goes.

I sure will, and post the results. Don't know how long before I test again. I don't drive near as much as I used to since I retired.

 

[Burla]

if you want tbn at blackstone you now have to ask for it, the good news it is free with TAN, so they are pushing TAN as a more relevant number.

On the back of the slip just mention that you want a TBN or TAN and we'll run it. Both the TBN and the TAN are just an additional $10.

 

[HEMIMANN]

I sure will, and post the results. Don't know how long before I test again. I don't drive near as much as I used to since I retired.

Yup - many of us in the same boat on here. I won't be sending in another sample until April/May.

 

[Burla]

is this not impressive? pdf report

Large concentrations of fuel dilution are obviously concerning, but even a small amount can be a sign of trouble.Fuel lowers the flashpoint of oil and can thin it out. This Cummins had a cylinder re-worked a few years ago, andthe owner wanted to make sure there weren’t any other problems. The injectors and fuel rail components wereinspected by Cummins after testing indicated 2.5% fuel in the 3/23/23 sample, and everything seemed to be ingood shape. When fuel showed back up in December, the owner checked for an uncommon—yet possibleculprit—the injector connections. After hours of changing out parts, a single, scored connector turned out to bethe source of the leak. After changing that connector out, fuel dilution cleared right up and hasn’t shown upsince

 

[Burla]

well, ten bucks each item

I've seen all of the info and never lost faith in Blackstone to this point. But, I would say it is worth while to at least take a look at other labs. It appears like they are consolidating services for profit as opposed to giving valuable info. It is just ridiculous to suggest tbn has little value, especially when setting an interval. If you ask me it just looks like it would be a lot more profitable to do less tests, especially if we are so overwhelmed they cannot have a decent turn around on samples. In older days they would expand, but we do not live in this time, so when overwhelmed we "shrink" service, nah man I am not on board with that. I am not saying don't use blackstone, I still find their results very credible and they catch things I'm not sure others would. But I would be open to looking at other labs as well, when prior to this I was team Blackstone. Now not so much, I'd be open to discussing who is the best lab today.

 

[Burla]

If they wanted to go away from tbn or tan/tbn they could have easily, but apparently pH is not an option. It looks like they ignore good science in the name of hey these two tests are much longer then our other testing, so lets take them off the sheet? Why not just raise the price? Because they are overwhelmed is what it appears like from this seat?

Australian Modified pH Test Method. Below is the initial procedure used for the pH Method:

1. Into a clean, dry analysis cup weigh approximately 10g of sample.
2. Manually add 50mL of TAN solvent per ASTM D 664-89 (Isopropyl Alcohol, Toluene, & Water)
3. Mix by agitation & place cup under suitable glass pH electrode linked to a Denver Titrator (or equivalent).
4. After about 3 minutes read stabilized result as pH on titration controller screen.

 

[06 Dodge]

well, ten bucks each item

I've seen all of the info and never lost faith in Blackstone to this point. But, I would say it is worth while to at least take a look at other labs. It appears like they are consolidating services for profit as opposed to giving valuable info. It is just ridiculous to suggest tbn has little value, especially when setting an interval. If you ask me it just looks like it would be a lot more profitable to do less tests, especially if we are so overwhelmed they cannot have a decent turn around on samples. In older days they would expand, but we do not live in this time, so when overwhelmed we "shrink" service, nah man I am not on board with that. I am not saying don't use blackstone, I still find their results very credible and they catch things I'm not sure others would. But I would be open to looking at other labs as well, when prior to this I was team Blackstone. Now not so much, I'd be open to discussing who is the best lab today.

I use the lab that Fleetguard/Cummins an Amsoil use to analyzed their oil samples, Polaris laboratories also known as Horizon, a Cummins/Fleetguard lab many years ago.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Just for fun, I checked Mobil's website. Still for Industrial big customers only. I never knew how good I had it!

Anybody tried Amsoil's lab? Googling around, a guy @ Bob's sent the sample sample to 4 labs, Blackstone came back with the most inconsistent results.

He was going with Amsoil's lab service, app. same or lower price than Blackstone.

 

[06 Dodge]

Just for fun, I checked Mobil's website. Still for Industrial big customers only. I never knew how good I had it!

Anybody tried Amsoil's lab? Googling around, a guy @ Bob's sent the sample sample to 4 labs, Blackstone came back with the most inconsistent results.

He was going with Amsoil's lab service, app. same or lower price than Blackstone.

Per my post above Amsoil and Cummins/Fleetguard use the same lab (Polaris laboratories also known as Horizon) to test oil samples...