(Done: 6:15pm)Trying something a little different today - a live blog event. I'll be updating this entry with pictures and commentary as I go along. Hopefully I'll have a working reel when I get done. Feel free to comment during or after.

I've got an Abu Garcia 4600KC3 casting reel that I dedicated to salt-water fishing last year. I gave it good faith hose-rinsings after every trip, but time and abuse got to it. The thumbar depresses, but won't re-engage with the turning of the handle and the spool won't spin.

On hand I've got some reel oil with teflon, some reel grease for the gears, toothbrush, screwdrivers, pliers, q-tips, WD-40 and PB Blaster for cleaning parts.




Step 1: Open the thumbscrews and remove the sideplate. Thumbscrews were balky and required screwdriver. Gave them a little dabbing with the PB Blaster and wiped up.




On the inside, of the sideplate and spool housing, I notice a lot of moisture. Not good - this reel hasn't seen the water since November.




On further inspection, it looks like some corrosion/buildup too.




No permanent damage to the faceplate - the crud cleaned up just fine.




The spool was in pretty good shape. Just a little bit of a grinding feel as it spun around its housing - a tiny bit of sand or salt somewhere in there.

I cleaned it up and put a light coating of oil on the rubbing surfaces. I put a bit of grease on the gears that drive the line guide. A drop of oil on each edge of the thumb bar. Cleaned out the top channel of the line guide with the flat screwdriver wrapped in the cloth. Dabbed the gear on the underside of the line guide with the Blaster and dried it out as best I could with Q-tip & rag. Then a couple drops of oil in there too.




I got a little lazy at this point - did not remove the backplate. Things looked pretty clean back there. I ran a Q-tip around in there to clean it out. Its hard to see bit I've put bit of grease on the line guide gears. Also a dab of oil in the receiver nub for the spool axle.


Tried a quick test by putting it back together. VIOLA - the thumb bar engages, a turn of the handle pops it back up, the spool engages and turns just like it should. Problem solved, but I think I need to clean out the sideplate and grease those gears too - there's some catching and grinding going on in there.



Remove the screws in the sideplate.




Remove the spool tension knob and the axle (not required to get the side apart, but it needs cleaning and lube anyway)

Couldn't exactly remember how to get it apart at this point (should be a RED FLAG not to proceed until consulting with some instructions, but red flags and instructions are for smart and careful people!).

I'm going to remove the handle and see if it will open up.



Remove the handle - loosen the cover screw, remove the cover, remove the nut...



(still removing the handle) remove the tension washer (can't remember what those little guys are called - use the needlenose slightly opened to match each prong and push it off - sproingggg! (don't lose it - really). NOW remove the handle.

Unwind the star drag control - that was a little sticky on mine. Need some cleaning on that spindle.

At this point, the main gear popped free. and the sideplate separated!



That's a lot of pieces to clean and reassemble...



Here's the main gear with the drag washers.



Fully Reassembled and fully functional. Smooth and happy.

A couple things to note:
- don't forget the order of the washers in the drag system.
- don't forget to tighten the drag back down... I thought I had messed up as it wouldn't turn the spool when I cranked. Just had to re-tighten the drag.