First oil change, Should I be worried?

[Jefe1018]

I was on my way to just come say “yes.“ to see the world burn, but, I see that this is turning into a “relax dude”. Honestly kind of wholesome.

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[LostWoods]

Love the Blackstone dick riding that always comes out in these threads. Look right here this is totally an analysis. No, that's a standard form output for any report for a low-mileage engine that doesn't show elevated levels based on thresholds they think are appropriate.

Data analysis requires multiple data points. Full stop. You aren't getting anything out of a single report except significant contamination in oil you already changed and ironically, the real issue I have with them isn't that they try to sell things to an individual, it's that they don't try to sell more tests that are needed for any real perspective on the condition of your engine.

Blackstone doesn't do fluid analysis, they do measurements. If you actually want any value out of it then do it every time on a standard schedule then plot your own data. If Blackstone really wanted to do analysis, this would be their standard procedure but it isn't. Instead they just make their money riling up forum people who think their singular reports are worth more than the paper and a postage stamp.

 

[Lunentucker]

 

[sharpsicle]

Love the Blackstone dick riding that always comes out in these threads. Look right here this is totally an analysis. No, that's a standard form output for any report for a low-mileage engine that doesn't show elevated levels based on thresholds they think are appropriate.

Data analysis requires multiple data points. Full stop. You aren't getting anything out of a single report except significant contamination in oil you already changed and ironically, the real issue I have with them isn't that they try to sell things to an individual, it's that they don't try to sell more tests that are needed for any real perspective on the condition of your engine.

Blackstone doesn't do fluid analysis, they do measurements. If you actually want any value out of it then do it every time on a standard schedule then plot your own data. If Blackstone really wanted to do analysis, this would be their standard procedure but it isn't. Instead they just make their money riling up forum people who think their singular reports are worth more than the paper and a postage stamp.

Hey man, if you don't want to get your oil checked out by Blackstone that's your call. I don't use them myself either. But that doesn't mean they aren't providing potentially valuable information to those who do use them. For a modest cost as well. Nothing wrong with that. At this point it really is all in your own head.

You claim that Blackstone is a waste of money because, wait, because they aren't trying to convince everyone into spending even more money? You don't have an issue with them selling things, but you have an issue with them not selling enough? That's not their call. That's on the customer to choose to repeat business with them. Otherwise you'd be complaining about them strong-arming customers into spending more money that they might not want or need to spend.

I think you're the one "riling people up".

 

[LostWoods]

Totally emotional. The physical abuse was my forehead against the shop wall everytime a customer brought their toilet paper into the shop.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My take on the reports - AI
Computer generated. You think a human is going to look at every number and every sample and personally comment?
Unless they have quite a system with many employees - it's based on numbers and thresholds.
AI

There are companies that send samples in from every single piece of equipment they own. They receive the samples, plug in the numbers and their equipment does the rest.

That's my thinking unless someone can show me where a person signed off on it and actually sat down and wrote it.

I have nothing against any fluid samples - it can be a great thing, it's how it's analyzed and what someone does with the numbers - or what they do with the comments they get back that matters.

BTW - do they ask what fuel you use? IF they do not, they should - for the "fuel in oil" numbers to mean anything.

 

[sharpsicle]

Totally emotional. The physical abuse was my forehead against the shop wall everytime a customer brought their toilet paper into the shop.

I'd probably start stocking TP at your shop. It's a small gesture, but would go a long way to showing customers you care. Strange they'd have to bring their own.

 

[Lunentucker]

Exactly! They'll provide the data and I've got the couple of brain cells necessary to plot it myself.

I was concerned over the cam shaft issues because I was getting some misfires. It's well worth the peace of mind to know whether or not my oil is showing high levels of metals.
So far so good.
If the 10k report comes in good I'll likely let it be.
My life. My money. My Jeep.

 

[LostWoods]

I'd probably start stocking TP at your shop. It's a small gesture, but would go a long way to showing customers you care. Strange they'd have to bring their own.

D for effort.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Speaking of TP - when I worked in the former AMC shop, the boss had a sign in the restroom hanging on the wall above the toilet - punctuation means everything ->
We aim to please;
You aim, too, please.

 

[Hootbro]

My take on the reports - AI
Computer generated. You think a human is going to look at every number and every sample and personally comment?
Unless they have quite a system with many employees - it's based on numbers and thresholds.
AI

There are companies that send samples in from every single piece of equipment they own. They receive the samples, plug in the numbers and their equipment does the rest.

That's my thinking unless someone can show me where a person signed off on it and actually sat down and wrote it.

I have nothing against any fluid samples - it can be a great thing, it's how it's analyzed and what someone does with the numbers - or what they do with the comments they get back that matters.

BTW - do they ask what fuel you use? IF they do not, they should - for the "fuel in oil" numbers to mean anything.

Blackstone written comments are by a human. That is why it takes 2-3 weeks most times to get a result back because the majority of the time is waiting for a human to read and reply. Sure some of the comments are probably cookie cutter cut and paste but they do put human eyes to each result.

A couple years back I had a problem with a report for a Ford I owned that had the wrong engine type listed and the comments did not make sense (ecoboost vs. duratec V6). I emailed them and got a call back from the guy that actually wrote and commented on my report and got it sorted and issued me a corrected report.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Blackstone written comments are by a human. That is why it takes 2-3 weeks most times to get a result back because the majority of the time is waiting for a human to read and reply. Sure some of the comments are probably cookie cutter cut and paste but they do put human eyes to each result.

A couple years back I had a problem with a report for a Ford I owned that had the wrong engine type listed and the comments did not make sense (ecoboost vs. duratec V6). I emailed them and got a call back from the guy that actually wrote and commented on my report and got it sorted and issued me a corrected report.

They must be extremely busy because of the businesses sending in many dozens of samples, and all of the USA having ordinary consumers doing the same. If you have a fleet of taxis, you'll likely be sending in samples (some of New York's companies do)
That's a lot of work looking at every single report, making sure you actually saw a 35 and not a 53 after 7 hours on the job.
They also need to pay attention to the specific engine and type, fuel used and so on as for some engines, certain numbers may not be a big deal while for others, it is.
Imagine comparing my dual-quad 360 results to an LS engine with full roller valve train, or a flex fuel vehicle using pure gas to one using E85. Big differences.

 

[Lunentucker]

I really don't care if it's human or a program that's been setup to make statements based on certain parameters and thresholds. Somewhere along the line someone told the computers what's good and what isn't from those parameters.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I care. A computer is go/no-go, there's only black and white and it can only go by what it's given, there is no understanding. IF this then that unless A >= C and so on.
Too limited for this sort of thing which should involve judgement based on experience and things you can't feed into the "computer".
Perceptual comprehension - people can see things differently and anyone with any depth of experience can troubleshoot or see things your computer just isn't ready for.
Yes, that's why I made my remarks about the computer or AI - very limited, unable to see beyond the numbers.
I'm glad to be corrected and told that there's actually a human there.
I have a life of examples where diagnostics charts, diagrams and plain math or programs failed. (there's a reason the boss called me in to solve things that the computers - and other people - said there was nothing wrong with.)

Computers can't make "judgement calls". It's all math, binary, there's no gray areas.


Ironically, I see no one caught my comment about "do they ask what fuel is used".

 

[Jefe1018]

What does anyone actually do with data from an oil analysis report?

Sure I know that that metals wear into the oil.... but as someone who dabbles in data analysis from time to time for a living, is the data for the sake of data or is there any actionable data you can actually take from it? Are you going to strip the block down and rebuild because your copper bits have gone up 3ppm over the last 6 oil changes? At how many ppm do you trade it in and make it the next guy's problem? I just don't understand the reasoning behind doing it.

In my limited shade tree mechanic experience, the motor runs or it doesn't, it knocks or it doesn't, it burns oil? Change it more often. I've driven several vehicles past 200,000 miles with this logic and some I know for a fact are still running.

So again, what's the point? A data repot to say hey look, I have a data report?

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