A high viscosity primer and a process for preparing a polymer surface for solvent cement bonding are disclosed. The high viscosity primer has at least one solvent capable of at least partially dissolving or softening the surface and comprising a thickener ethylcellulose, PVC resin, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) resin, acrylic resin, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), pentaerythritol ethoxylate, or a combination thereof and present at a concentration in a range of from about 0.5 wt % to about 10 wt %, relative to the total weight of the primer. The high viscosity primer has a viscosity in a range of from about 10 to about 100 centipoise.