- 1). Measure 5 grams of lye.
- 2). Add the 5 g of lye to 500 ml of distilled water. Mix them in one of the 500 ml glass or HDPE bottles, and label it "Lye stock solution." Put the cap on the glass or bottle.
- 3). Measure 5 ml of the lye stock solution into the 50 ml measuring beaker. Add 45 ml of distilled water. Pour this mixture into a clean 10 ml beaker, and place the beaker in a warm water bath in one of the bowls. Keep the remaining solution for any other titrations that may need to be done.
- 4). Measure 10 ml rubbing alcohol into a clean, unused 10 ml beaker.
- 5). Use a syringe to add 1 ml of your oil sample to the rubbing alcohol. Place this beaker in the second bowl in a warm water bath.
- 6). Stir the oil and rubbing alcohol mixture once it has warmed up. You need to stir it until the mixture is clear.
- 7). Add two drops of phenolphthalein solution to the oil/rubbing alcohol mixture, using a clean syringe.
- 8). Add the lye solution to the oil/rubbing alcohol mixture with a new, clean syringe, one drop at a time. Stir this mixture constantly and try to keep the mixture clear. Monitor carefully how much of the lye solution you are adding.
- 9). Stop adding lye solution when the mixture turns pink for at least 15 seconds.
- 10
Count how many milliliters of lye solution were required to turn the oil pink. This is the titration result. If it is under 2 milliliters, the oil is of good quality and can be used. Simply pour the oil into the tank as you would any other kind of gas. Be sure to use a sturdy, wide-mouthed funnel to avoid spilling.
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