Use only small amounts, for it sets too quickly to do a complete job at once.
It works, if done correctly. Most important is making use of the mix within a minute. I benefitted from reading these reviews, learning how quickly it begins to set and the suggestion to mix only a small amount. I mixed four servings and still have half left over. I realized when working with my first mix, how quickly it sets, that its a setup for failure to mix the full amount of black and clear fluids as instructed in their package, for it's much more adhesive than what can be worked with effectively before it begins to set. Cutting off a small corner of each sealed package, I squeezed out a small amount from each onto a piece of cardboard - no bigger than a dime, keeping them separate from each other. This gave me time to wipe off the package corner and fold it over a couple times to seal it. Kept separate, the chemical action had not begun until I mixed the two with a popsicle stick. Both are quite fluid and spread out when squeeze out, so give them room to spread and not make contact. It's easy enough to see when there are about equal amounts, adding more to one or the other to make them look equal. It's an advantage not to use too much. My cardboard piece was the size of a business card, stiff enough where I could hold it flat, mix and scrape off the stick on the card edge and work that mix into the whole amount. Because one is black, the other clear, it's easy to see and judge how the two mix. Using the brush, I brushed it into the prepared surface, kind of scrubbing it in to invite the paste to mix with the radiator plastic, leveled it off with the brush, applied the precut piece of fiberglass mesh, then brushed a coat of the mix over the fiberglass. By this time, it was becoming obvious the mix was hardening and would no longer be as binding. Knowing I had planned to apply additional coats, I stopped working with it and let it set for about 15 minutes. The brush also set up and was no longer usable, which added to the misrepresentation of the instructions. It's quite fluid when mixed, so if applying a thick coat to a vertical surface, it will drain down, adding to the challenge of keeping it in place, applying the fiberglass and coating that and keeping that covering in place, all before it begins to set. Knowing I had planned on additional coats, I could concentrate on placement. Inspecting that first application after it set, I could see where I could improve upon the coverage and mixed up another serving, applying it with my rubber gloved little finger. Because of how fluid the mix is at the beginning, it kind of self levels, though not applying too much for it to run down. Initial preparation of the plastic tank is critical. I sanded the area, beyond the crack to invite bonding. I had two cracks to fix, one about 3/4" long on the flat surface just below the upper hose connection tube, the other, an inch long on the top of the tube, from the opening coming in. After sanding, I used a wood burning tool - the V tip, to melt the crack line, about 1/16th of an inch deep, then melted the plastic over the crack. When hardened, I sanded that surface to roughen it. I had no engine oil to clean off, so it was just cleaning off the sanding dust with a alcohol moistened lint free rag. My fiberglass application on the round upper radiator tube, created a ridge where the fabric ended. After my first application, I filed that edge to be round for the hose to seal right and sealed that off with my additional finger applied coat. My patches are holding for a week, with no sign of failure, with both looking so well glued in - especially the edges, that they should be a permanent part of the plastic radiator. Read more
