1st Dr Pepper Attempt
 

Don't think it worked...:-X18
1) Got some WVO from the local Mexican place down the street about a month ago and let it sit.
2) Scooped a liter of murky golden oil off the top.
3) Took to boiling point (~260 f) and saw very tiny bubbles...no boiling so seemed H2O free.
4) Let cool to ~ 140 f and put in 2 liter bottle.
5) Added the fully diluted mix (250 ml (most of the yellow bottle) of HEET + 1 tsp of lye from Lowes).
6) Shook for 5 seconds 4 times over 1 hour.
7) Let sit for 48 hours.

The oil started murky gold and is now murky gold with a 2 inch layer of black gook at the bottom of the 2 liter soda bottle. It's like a lava lamp! I do not see an appreciable difference between the before and after color and opaqueness of the top part. :confused:

Is it just that the oil was THAT BAD and I need to run it again or perhaps I need to "wash" the rest of the crud out? Heaven forbid that I did something wrong:-whud

I suspect your technique is wrong.

first you chemistry seems to be off.

did you get complete disolution of the lye in the heet

I have heard that heet is not the best source of methanol (I have never used it just read that in a few places)

Your agitation techniqe was inadequate.

#1. Did you do a Titration?
#3. Those "tiny bubbles" ARE water, and can effect the process.
#5. How many grams is 1 tsp? What type of "Lye"? What strength?
#6. You should have shaken the s*** out of it for at least 5 min.

Definitely under-processed............

You could be very well right?!?!? I just followed the 'Making A Small Batch' instructions on biodieselcommunity.org

Can you please help with a little more detail around the chemistry being off? They say 250ml methanol (about 1 cup, right???) and 6g NAOH (about 1 tsp, right???)

The solution DID completely dissolve into a clear liquid before I put it in with the oil. Took about 5 minutes of hard shaking in a closed mason jar.

Would also like additional detail on proper agitation as well as any suggestions on where to get a better test methanol source if HEET is no good.

Sorry for the basic questions...I was hoping enough research in advance would result in a positive result but I was obviously wrong.:confused:

Thanks!

First...Thanks for the input. (forgot to say that last time I posted)

#5. instructions say that 1tsp = 6-7g and I used Roebic 100% Sodium Hydroxide.

Sounds like I need to try test batch #2.

HEET is only 99% methanol with 1% proprietary ingrediant per this MSDS: GAS LINE ANTIFREEZE

I don't really know, but I think that extra 1% proprietary ingrediant may be the problem.
Good luck. Jim

I did all my first test batches with yellow Heet without too many problems. You may not have had enough lye in the mix. I think the base for new oil is around 5g per liter so used oil would be more than that depending on the titration. When I did the Dr pepper method with used oil I just used twice the lye they called for.

It is really difficult to get close to accurate weight of a crystaline solid by measuring volume because you can't take the density (how tightly packed) into consideration. I also dont know how pure the lye and or HEET you used was.

You are correct that 250 ml is approx one cup

To measure the lie try a dixie cup scale:
Dixie Cup Scale - Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial
remember to use distilled water for the standard weight (water from your faucet has to much junk in it so it is heavier than distilled)

go buy a cheap medication dispensing dropper to measure the water with.

Mexican Food places tend to use the oil for a long time and that causes a heavy buildup of FFAs. For that reason you really should titrate to get accurate an measure how much NaOH you need.
http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/titratingoil/

As far as proper agitation goes ya really need to shake the s*** out of it for for at least 5 mins.

Dont give up it is worth the effort and you will get there. Many here have tried several times before succeeding.