Is the Motor Oil Geek Right? I Put His Break-In Theory to the Test

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Lake's full guide to break-in on modern engines.
   • The FACTS About Oil Changes (What The Owne...  

A lot of people online will tell you:
“Just follow the factory oil change interval the engineers know best.”

But are the engineers really the ones deciding 10,000-mile oil changes… or is it someone else?

In this video, I independently test the break-in oil change procedure recommended by Lake Speed Jr. (The Motor Oil Geek) using actual oil analysis from my brand-new Ram 1500 with the 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo engine.

What I Did

Changed the factory oil at ~600 miles
Sent the oil to Blackstone Laboratories
Compared my results to universal averages at 4,500 miles

Followed Lake Speed Jr.’s recommended early break-in intervals:
500 miles
1,500 miles
3,000 miles
5,000 miles

What the Oil Analysis Showed
At just 600 miles, my oil already contained:
Higher aluminum than the 4,500-mile average
Higher iron than the 4,500-mile average
Copper over 3x higher than normal
Elevated silicon from sealants and assembly materials

No fuel dilution, no coolant, and viscosity still in spec
In other words — the engine is healthy, but the oil is full of break-in debris.

Why This Matters
Yes, elevated metals during break-in are normal.
But normal doesn’t mean harmless especially when:
Many of these particles are smaller than what oil filters can capture
Modern turbo engines rely on tight clearances and clean oil
That debris would otherwise circulate for thousands of miles
This video isn’t about fear it’s about data.

Was It Worth It?
Oil change: ~$55
Oil analysis: ~$40
Cheap insurance if you care about:
Long-term reliability
Turbo longevity
200,000–300,000 mile ownership
If you lease or trade every few years, this probably doesn’t matter to you.
If you plan to keep your vehicle long-term, this is worth thinking about.

I’ll be repeating this process at:
1,500 miles
3,000 miles
5,000 miles (filter change)

Subscribe if you want to see how fast these metals drop and whether the Motor Oil Geek’s break-in theory continues to hold up.

Let Me Know in the Comments:
Did I waste my money?
Would you leave this oil in for 10,000 miles?
Have you done early oil changes on a new engine?

Science over speculation.