Recent Posts

11

Chatter / Re: BBB 2025

« Last post by dgs on July 29, 2025, 10:13:18 AM »

If anyone has a working central heating pump they could bring as a spare for the pool that would be good.

Got a calpeda multistage pump that might do what you want, I'll bring it anyway.

Also if anyone wants 20kg of slightly aging KOH for free please let me know and I'll bring that too.

The KOH would be very nice Tony if you still have it.

12

Chatter / Re: BBB 2025

« Last post by Tony on July 29, 2025, 10:02:50 AM »

If anyone has a working central heating pump they could bring as a spare for the pool that would be good.

Got a calpeda multistage pump that might do what you want, I'll bring it anyway.

Also if anyone wants 20kg of slightly aging KOH for free please let me know and I'll bring that too.

13

Chatter / Re: BBB 2025

« Last post by Chug on July 28, 2025, 09:21:19 AM »

If anyone has a working central heating pump they could bring as a spare for the pool that would be good.

14

Chatter / Re: Engine oil in coolant :(

« Last post by knighty on July 26, 2025, 02:50:52 AM »

no experience with your car, but had oil coolers go on work vans before

unless head gaskets are a common thing on those I think the oil cooler is much more likely

15

Chatter / Engine oil in coolant :(

« Last post by Vijay on July 23, 2025, 05:57:24 PM »

Hey guys,

On my Skoda Octavia 1.9. Found some engine oil in my coolant expansion tank last week and been flushing the system out. There's a slight layer of "mayo" around the inside of the coolant expansion tank which I'll need to clean out. Read online to use dishwasher powder and simple green, so will give that a try. Engine oil looks like oil, no signs of mayo in that.


I'm assuming head gasket but a friend mentioned it could be the oil cooler. I just wondered if anyone has ever come across an issue with the oil cooler?

Any other suggestions?

Cheers



Vijay

16

Chemistry and process / Re: Help! Reaction not happening.

« Last post by Sonex on July 19, 2025, 06:08:36 PM »

Thanks for the suggestion.  I just ordered a couple gallons of glycerine to use as you have suggested.  I'm curious myself to see if it has any effect.

17

Chemistry and process / Re: Help! Reaction not happening.

« Last post by dgs on July 18, 2025, 10:48:37 AM »

Any idea how to get glycerol if I'm out of it?

Sorry, no. Thats why I mentioned the glycerol that you washed the oil with, not ideal but better than nothing. You can use pure glycerine but it is expensive here in the UK, i don't know about the States.

Anyone make bio who is close to you to help you out.

18

Chemistry and process / Re: Help! Reaction not happening.

« Last post by Sonex on July 18, 2025, 02:53:40 AM »

Any idea how to get glycerol if I'm out of it?

19

Chemistry and process / Re: Help! Reaction not happening.

« Last post by dgs on July 17, 2025, 05:02:07 PM »

The last time this problem came up, I ended up throwing out the whole batch and starting over.   

It's about a 35 gallon batch of oil.  I poured left over glycerin from a previous batch in it and let it settle out and drain off before mixing in about 6 gallons of methanol with approx 50 oz of KOH dissolved in it.

Does anyone know of a university lab, which would analyze a sample of what I have?

Don't throw the batch away, there will be plenty to salvage. i don't know why this has happened but I'm sure you will have had a reaction.

so....heat up your batch and add what glycerol you have (even the stuff you used to pre treat it with) when it cools you will have a layer of glycerol with bio on the top.

Do you know how to do a 10/90 dropout test.

20

Chemistry and process / Re: Help! Reaction not happening.

« Last post by Sonex on July 14, 2025, 02:20:18 AM »

The last time this problem came up, I ended up throwing out the whole batch and starting over.   

It's about a 35 gallon batch of oil.  I poured left over glycerin from a previous batch in it and let it settle out and drain off before mixing in about 6 gallons of methanol with approx 50 oz of KOH dissolved in it.

Does anyone know of a university lab, which would analyze a sample of what I have?