Oil Analysis: Blackstone Laboratories

[Demonick]

I've been having Blackstone Labs ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ )
analyze my oil for about the past 4 years through about 12 oil changes. In
every case I had to contact them for the results. Although my email
address is on file and included with every oil sample, I still have to
contact them for the results. Almost every time after a month I email
their customer support and they say they just received the sample, then
sometimes a few days later I get the PDF analysis. Occasionally I have to
contact them again. The first week of May I sent a sample to them, then
contacted them last week about the analysis. They say they never received
the sample.

I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other pilots/mechanics
are using?

Thanks in advance,

Demonick
Seattle, WA

[Newps]

Why are you wasting your time with them? I occasionally have my oil
checked and I get the report back promptly without a need to call them.



Demonick wrote:

> I've been having Blackstone Labs ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ )
> analyze my oil for about the past 4 years through about 12 oil changes. In
> every case I had to contact them for the results. Although my email
> address is on file and included with every oil sample, I still have to
> contact them for the results. Almost every time after a month I email
> their customer support and they say they just received the sample, then
> sometimes a few days later I get the PDF analysis. Occasionally I have to
> contact them again. The first week of May I sent a sample to them, then
> contacted them last week about the analysis. They say they never received
> the sample.
>
> I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
> company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other pilots/mechanics
> are using?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Demonick
> Seattle, WA

[Ray Bengen]

I get very prompt service every 25 hours when I send them the oil sample.
Never an issue. Always helpful on the phone or email.

Don't get it.

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 14:34:36 GMT, Demonick
> wrote:

> I've been having Blackstone Labs ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ )
> analyze my oil for about the past 4 years through about 12 oil changes.
> In
> every case I had to contact them for the results. Although my email
> address is on file and included with every oil sample, I still have to
> contact them for the results. Almost every time after a month I email
> their customer support and they say they just received the sample, then
> sometimes a few days later I get the PDF analysis. Occasionally I have
> to
> contact them again. The first week of May I sent a sample to them, then
> contacted them last week about the analysis. They say they never
> received
> the sample.
>
> I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
> company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other
> pilots/mechanics
> are using?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Demonick
> Seattle, WA



--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/

[Demonick]

>> Demonick wrote:
>>
>> ... snip ...
>> I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
>> company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other pilots/mechanics
>> are using?

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 08:53:36 -0600, Newps wrote:

> Why are you wasting your time with them? I occasionally have my oil
> checked and I get the report back promptly without a need to call them.

Sorry, I am not sure I understand your response.

Coming from a scientific background, the most valid trend testing is done
over time with the same equipment and the same process. That is why I am
"wasting my time with them".

Who do you use for your oil analysis?

Demonick

[Demonick]

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 14:58:38 GMT, Ray Bengen wrote:

> I get very prompt service every 25 hours when I send them the oil sample.
> Never an issue. Always helpful on the phone or email.
>
> Don't get it.

Thanks.

Demonick

[Ross Richardson]

I have use Metal Check by Aviation Labs for 9 years and no problems. I
get timely reports. I now buy directly from the company.


Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI


Demonick wrote:
> I've been having Blackstone Labs ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ )
> analyze my oil for about the past 4 years through about 12 oil changes. In
> every case I had to contact them for the results. Although my email
> address is on file and included with every oil sample, I still have to
> contact them for the results. Almost every time after a month I email
> their customer support and they say they just received the sample, then
> sometimes a few days later I get the PDF analysis. Occasionally I have to
> contact them again. The first week of May I sent a sample to them, then
> contacted them last week about the analysis. They say they never received
> the sample.
>
> I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
> company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other pilots/mechanics
> are using?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Demonick
> Seattle, WA

[[email protected]]

We use EXXGARD Aero Oil Analysis program

http://www.eliteetc.com/oilanalysis.html

I usually order several kits whenever they have discount prices
(typically offered at the same time with Elite 20W-50 discount price
during special events: Sun&Fun, Oshkosh etc.)

The lab emails the result to us which is listed along with all
previous data. We can also view the results online within 24hrs of
sampling.


Hai Longworth

[Robert M. Gary]

I've never had this problem. They always send me an email. Once they
thought they found a problem and called me Friday at work before I left
the office to make sure I got the email.

-Robert

[Robert M. Gary]

BTW: I think you can also get your report on line on their web page.

[Robert M. Gary]

Same here. I use Blackstone lab. Highly recommended.

[Newps]

Demonick wrote:
>>>Demonick wrote:
>>>
>>>... snip ...
>>>I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
>>>company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other pilots/mechanics
>>>are using?
>
>
> On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 08:53:36 -0600, Newps wrote:
>
>
>>Why are you wasting your time with them? I occasionally have my oil
>>checked and I get the report back promptly without a need to call them.
>
>
> Sorry, I am not sure I understand your response.
>
> Coming from a scientific background, the most valid trend testing is done
> over time with the same equipment and the same process. That is why I am
> "wasting my time with them".
>
> Who do you use for your oil analysis?

I use Aviation Labs. I send in maybe one sample a year or so. So
because you picked Blackstone first you will stick with them even though
the service sucks?

[Rich Badaracco]

I've been using Blackstone for a couple years. I always receive an e-mail
report. Usually within a week from the time I mail it. They have called me
to discuss abnormalities in the report before they e-mailed it. They've
always been very helpful on the phone when I've called them to discuss the
reports. I would call them and talk to them about your problem.

"Demonick" > wrote in message
. ..
> I've been having Blackstone Labs ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ )
> analyze my oil for about the past 4 years through about 12 oil changes.
> In
> every case I had to contact them for the results. Although my email
> address is on file and included with every oil sample, I still have to
> contact them for the results. Almost every time after a month I email
> their customer support and they say they just received the sample, then
> sometimes a few days later I get the PDF analysis. Occasionally I have to
> contact them again. The first week of May I sent a sample to them, then
> contacted them last week about the analysis. They say they never received
> the sample.
>
> I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
> company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other
> pilots/mechanics
> are using?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Demonick
> Seattle, WA

[Demonick]

Follow up:

I received my oil analysis from Blackstone on 6/21. Apparently it was a
month and a half in transit. Another oil change is a few days, so the next
sample bottle goes into an envelope rather than the bigger bottle they
provide.

Demonick

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 14:34:36 GMT, Demonick
> wrote:

>I've been having Blackstone Labs ( http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ )
>analyze my oil for about the past 4 years through about 12 oil changes. In
>every case I had to contact them for the results. Although my email
>address is on file and included with every oil sample, I still have to
>contact them for the results. Almost every time after a month I email
>their customer support and they say they just received the sample, then
>sometimes a few days later I get the PDF analysis. Occasionally I have to
>contact them again. The first week of May I sent a sample to them, then
>contacted them last week about the analysis. They say they never received
>the sample.
>
>I am wondering if others have had these sorts of problems with this
>company? What are the alternatives for oil analysis other pilots/mechanics
>are using?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Demonick
>Seattle, WA

I've been using Blackstone since Howard Fenton retired and sold his
business to them.

I think over the years I've had perhaps one oil sample report that I've had
to call about -- other than that, no problems. And that one was early on,
and at a time when I was changing email addresses -- they had the wrong one
for me.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[Brien K. Meehan]

Hmm. I've been using Blackstone for 2+ years now, and I find them to
be very prompt and communicative, with a lab report that actually means
something to me. I like 'em.

[AES]

Reacting to this thread from the point of view of an old-line lab
experimenter, if I were using a service of this kind, and the results
were of some importance, seems to me that every once in a while I'd send
'em two separate samples from the same batch (maybe even under different
names), and just see how consistent the two separate reports were.

(No implications about any specific companies or services here; just
stating a general principle.)