July 23, 2017, after a long day of driving, Scott had a long night of engine work.

Some of you may remember the July 2017 Alaska Or Rust adventure and the problems that Scott Gilbert’s wagon engine gave him (and Bob Christy and, part of the way, Rick Pacholski) … how has it already been 2 1/2 years?? Yikes!

After several engine rebuilds during the trip, the Scott and Bob were forced to turn back early and could not complete the trip. Eventually, Scott reinstalled a rebuilt engine and got the wagon going again. However, not surprisingly, Scott’s especially diligent these days about checking the condition of his wagon’s engine.

In an effort to monitor the engine’s condition, he wondered if there was any way to test the oil (he runs Lucas classic 10-30 oil) to be sure there wasn’t extra engine wear occurring. After checking with other folks and finding no answers, he hit the internet. Eventually, he tracked down Blackstone Laboratories. For only $25, Blackstone tested his oil and reported the results within a week.

About Scotts’ engine, the lab reported that the oil looked in good shape, which provides Scott with more reassurance that his newest rebuild will serve him well over the coming years. Still, he plans to do a few more tests occasionally, just to be sure. So, if you are concerned about your engine oil, you might check out Blackstone Laboratories.