Abu-Garcia 6000-C problems?

[bmc]

I'm an occasional musky fisherman and haven't used my reel in a couple years. I had it out Monday and today it crapped out on me. Monday it started making a screeching sound when I'd cast. I took a couple casts today and the noise wasn't as bad, but the reel won't engage now to retrieve line. Is there somewhere I can get this fixed, or is it time for a new reel? By the way my buddy and his friends have been seeing lots of muskies on Deer Lake, by Deer River. We're getting follows on every kind of bait and from the bull rushes out to about 20-30 fow. The hook up's have been slow though.

Brian

[Musky_Madness]

I've noticed on mine that sometimes you need to put oil underneath the line guide in that protective "U shaped cover"...that can dry out and cause problems for reeling in. You may also wanna try opening up your reel and make sure that when you put it back together that it all clicks together right. Sometimes those are tough to piece back together perfectly.

[fish500]

Me and other people I fish with have had the exact problems you've had with our c3's and c4's. My 6500 c3 screeches when I cast (really loud), and often doesn't engage after casting. I just put up with the screeching, and I tap the handle from the side or lift up the button to get it to engage. Tried, but haven't been able to fix them. The same reels bought over ten years ago didn't do this. We now buy Calcutta reels. They cost more money but their drags are much smoother and they don't seem to have as many bugs.

[TycoCowboy]

To be honest, I switched to Calcuttas because they are easier to reel in. They are so smooth they require very little effort to real in cast after cast. My Abu 6500's are great reels, but too much effort spead out over 10 or so hours compared to my Calcutta 400 cte's and 700 Cte's.

[VMS]

The screeching you are hearing is due to a lack of lube on the main cog in the palming side of the reel. Take the palm side off, put a dab of oil on spindle for the cog.

The reel not engaging is a matter of taking apart the right hand side of the reel (quite easy...not too much to it), and cleaning and lubing the moving parts. I usually put oil on any portions that metal contacts metal, and the main spindle. A good cleaning will make that reel run well. Make sure you clean and oil the worm drive, and definitely clean the top part of the line guide...if any gunk builds up in that slot, it will eventually chew up your worm drive...

Give yourself an hour for a good cleaning and lube and the reel will be good to go.

Steve

[MuskieJunkie]

My newest Abu made it only 2 months before that screaching started, it seems like they all do it, like VMS said oiling the palm side with solve that. I am going to buy a Calcutta TE one of these years.

[Cooter]

Like VMS said, its probably a cleaning issue. When you get her apart, note the metal clutch arm that moves when you push the button in. Clean and lube that up, especially underneath it where in slides on the metal plate. Try this first though, after you cast and it doesn't engage, try prying the button back out a hair with your finger. If this does it, your clutch arm is sticking at the fully depressed position and is not catching on the gear/sprocket to engage the reel. I can get a parts diagram and get more specific if its something you want to try.

[Cooter]

One more thing, I hope 6000-Cs are similar to 6500C3s