Blackstone Laboratories - Oil Analysis

**chaotichoax** · Nov 19, 2007, 12:23 AM

I heard about these guys when I had my STi two years ago. Decided that it would be a good idea to see how my oil looked after running it for about 4k miles.

You email them and they send you a free oil sample kit. All you have to do is take a sample and fill out an information sheet and send it to them. They charge $22.50 to run through a variety of tests. There are also additional test options and what not.

I opted for the basic route since my car is primarily street driven. I received the result via email about three days after I sent them my sample. Everything checked out on the money so I was very happy. I also liked how they have a comment box where they explain everything to you. I had taken the sample cold so there was some excess fuel in the sample. They assured me it was simply because the oil was taken cold and it was nothing to worry about.

The coolest thing about the test is that they test the wear on the oil. After running my oil for 4k miles and topping it off once with about .5 qt I was happy to see the wear only indicated about 3k miles. Nice to know I'm getting what I pay for with my oil.

Now this may seem a little overboard for some but to anyone that tracks their car regularly or has a built motor and big turbo this may be something to check out.

Here is the link:

blackstone-labs

Mileage on car- 14,300
Mileage on oil - 4,000

mikespike2 · Nov 19, 2007, 01:04 AM

Are you using Mobil 1? So what were the results on your oil?

What do you mean wear indicated 3k miles? How are they calculating that? How many miles means it's totally shot?

Wicked E · Nov 19, 2007, 01:13 AM

Please post the results... Curious to see how the EVO matches up with my old turbo car...

I used these guys every oil change when I had my built SR20 motor.

Cheers-
Erich

**chaotichoax** · Nov 19, 2007, 01:37 AM

yes this test was with mobil 1

I have switched over to AMSOIL however because mobil 1 is no longer a group iv oil

Steve_P · Nov 19, 2007, 08:33 AM

have you thought about getting the TBN test to see how much recommended life is left in the oil? I think I am going to do this after a 4k change.

coffeeslug · Nov 19, 2007, 08:38 AM

So if you were happy with the results of your test, why did you switch to a different oil? Will you be repeating the test on the Amsoil?

SWOLN · Nov 19, 2007, 03:00 PM

Nice job, I have one around here somewhere, but the results are skewed because I ran a leaded fuel, and also use a botique oil, where the addatives included Sb. So, that too shows up as lead from Blackstone. My next analysis will be done by Terry Dyson. I'm also considering using one of his recommended oils by Renewable Lube.(These oils were designed to keep the Audi RS4 motors from eating themselves to death) I wouldn't be surprised if at your next analysis you'd also have elevated fuel in the oil, as it seems to be prevalent in turboed motors, reguardless of a hot or cold sample. It seems that the Renewable Lube HD oils allow more of an evaporation of the fuel, hence keeping you temp range higher in the oil. Probably more than you'd like to know. Right now I use Alisyn. I have been for all of the miles on my car, except for the first oil change.

**chaotichoax** · Nov 19, 2007, 03:33 PM

I switched oils because since my last oil change (five months ago...I don't drive the car a lot) Mobil 1 has been switched out of the group iv category and AMSOIL is a very well respected oil and thanks to Oil Doc (vendor on here) I got a killer price

**chaotichoax** · Nov 19, 2007, 03:34 PM

I do plan on repeating the test once more as prior to my next oil change I plan on some modding and a retune so I want to make sure everything checks out

bluebyu36 · Nov 19, 2007, 03:45 PM

dam thats pretty cool im going to try it thanks for the info, i have a built motor for about 4,000 now...what are some bad thing they could find???

91TB78 · Nov 19, 2007, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluebyu36

dam thats pretty cool im going to try it thanks for the info, i have a built motor for about 4,000 now...what are some bad thing they could find???

They can tell you if you have unusually high amounts of copper or other materials in your oil. Each one will diagnose something different. High Copper usually means wearing parts, etc. I don't remember the exact link, but if anything is unusually high it might help in dianosing something you didn't know was going on.

**chaotichoax** · Nov 19, 2007, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluebyu36

dam thats pretty cool im going to try it thanks for the info, i have a built motor for about 4,000 now...what are some bad thing they could find???

Elements are quantified in the oil at part per million levels (PPM). This list shows the most common sources of the elements in a gasoline or diesel engine oil.

Aluminum: Pistons, bearings, cases (heads & blocks).
Chromium: Rings, a trace element in steel.
Iron: Cylinders, rotating shafts, the valve train, and any steel part sharing the oil.
Copper : Brass or bronze parts, copper bushings, bearings, oil coolers, also an additive in some gasoline engine oils.
Lead: Bearings.
Tin : Bearings, bronze parts, piston coatings.
Molybdenum: Anti-wear additive, coating on some new rings
(washes off as break-in occurs).
Nickel : Trace element in steel.
Manganese: Trace element, additive in gasoline.
Silver: Trace element.
Titanium: Trace element.
Potassium: Antifreeze inhibitor, additive in some oil types.
Boron: Detergent/dispersant additive, antifreeze inhibitors.
Silicon : Airborne dirt, sealers, gaskets, antifreeze inhibitors.
Sodium: Antifreeze inhibitors, additive in some gasoline engine oils.
Calcium : Detergent/dispersant additive.
Magnesium: Detergent/dispersant additive.
Phosphorus: Anti-wear additive.
Zinc : Anti-wear additive.
Barium: Detergent/dispersant additive.

Physical properties: Viscosity, flashpoint, % fuel and antifreeze, % water and insolubles are all measured in gasoline and diesel engine oils. If fuel is present in the oil, the viscosity and flashpoint will often be lower than what was stated in the "Should be" line. Insolubles are solid material that is centrifuged out of the oil. They are typically free carbon from the oxidation of the oil itself, along with blow-by past the rings.

Taken right from the "Service" tab on blackstone-labs

As you can see bearings attribute to a variety of metals. If I had a built motor I would do this test once every other oil change just to make sure everything is running and maintaining correctly.

schred86 · Nov 19, 2007, 04:19 PM

nice, runa run amsoil throughout my whole drivetrain, as well as the motor, what filter do u use? ill be sending amsoil an analysis sample in the near future too

**chaotichoax** · Nov 19, 2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schred86

nice, runa run amsoil throughout my whole drivetrain, as well as the motor, what filter do u use? ill be sending amsoil an analysis sample in the near future too

OEM Mitsu filter...only because I sent my good looking female friend to get me one an they gave her two for free haha...I'm a big fan of puralator filters...dad has used them on all his vehicles and never had an issues...they have a high performance line they refer to as "Pure 1" if I remember correctly

jroller · Nov 19, 2007, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotichoax

I switched oils because since my last oil change (five months ago...I don't drive the car a lot) Mobil 1 has been switched out of the group iv category and AMSOIL is a very well respected oil and thanks to Oil Doc (vendor on here) I got a killer price

You answered the question by not answering the question what in the world is a type iv oil?