So I have a penn 980 I have used for years. Finally started to act rough and have rebuild and reassembled a couple of times. The eccentric spring keeps falling out of the eccentric cam that applies resistance to the spool release lever after I have it assembled. Reel works great for a short period of time but the eccentric spring will fall out after a short period of time. Ant recommendations
i'd have to have one to look at to remember. anybody else?
Not easy to pinpoint without a pic.
A few things could cause the problem, my best guess is you need a new spring:
https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/20-113H2.aspx (https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/20-113H2.aspx)
My second guess, you might have a chip where the tip of that spring rests.
My third guess, the spring that sits in the cam has probably been sanded too low
Also, make sure you have the correct eccentric cam, it's very easy to grab a different one during assembly.
Here is the correct one for that reel:
https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/19-200.aspx (https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/19-200.aspx)
Good luck!
Sal
"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"
So I should have stated so in the original post.... but I ordered several new eccentric springs and a new eccentric cam from scotts. Have had the same issue with all of them. The potential "sanding" comment that would open up the clearance sounds interesting. The real is back together and I am going to use next week at Cape Lookout NC with a very sloppy spool release lever. Ever heard of anyone glueing a thin shim plate to the the interior of the reel side plate to take up the clearance that allows the spring to fall out. Sounds like the most promising option
Can you put a washer on the outside of the plate under the eccentric screw? That might snug it enough. You can get a teflon at Home Depot.
I have attached a photo of the arrangement of the eccentric spring. The spring turns up 90 degrees through a small hole in the brass eccentric cam. The spring will fall out of this hole
Can't see the back but trying screwing the lever into proper position with spring out of notch then put in with needlenose into its groove. May just need to bend spring a bit. Had this happen last week.
When you tighten that eccentric nut on the other side, there should be no way for it to fall out.
Clearance on the inside of the plate doesn't allow this.
Do what thor said and put the spring in the hole of the eccentric, but don't put the other end into its fixed position until you have the lever and nut tightened on the outside.
Then use a small screwdriver to pry it up and grab it with a pair of needle nose to put the other end in position.
From looking at your picture, there in not enough tension on the spring.
The eccentric position should not let it move that far. Yours is straight down.
There is a small flat portion on the underside that keeps that spring from moving outside its range.
I think it is out of range when you tighten it up, leaving a gap for it to fall out of.
This pic is of a Bigger Senator, but the principle is the same on Penn Star Drags. See the bend on that spring?
It is in the notch and can't come out.
It is either that, or your plate is damaged letting it move out of range.
In my picture, that is as far as that spring can move on the eccentric.
Please let us know if you figure it out.
The only other diagnosis is a picture of your plate without the eccentric installed.
not sure if this will help or not. right now, the "tag" end of the spring that inserts into the cam is bent at a 90 degree angle. maybe open up that angle to 100 degrees and see if it helps.
Just a wild guess and worth mentioning.
Do you have the correct 21-200 eccentric lever?
A longer lever will cause the spring to bend when forced into gear.
Sal
I agree with Daron. It can't fall out if the spring is sitting in the notch cut-out of the side plate. If it is outside the notch the spring is pinched between eccentric and side plate. The screw cannot be fully tightened, although it may feel tight at first. Try putting the lever in the middle (neither off nor on) when you tighten down the screw.
-steve
On smaller reels as these, the eccentric spring where it sits in the cam could be too long and making contact with the jack.
Check your jack and see if there are any marks on it, as this one...sorry pics are out of focus, but you shoud still be able to get an idea.
(https://i.imgur.com/HTjTegX.jpg)
and the under side
(https://i.imgur.com/lD1nt5C.jpg)
Here is the spring being too long
(https://i.imgur.com/NnwSUda.jpg)
just gring it down and problem solved
(https://i.imgur.com/WikJfLb.jpg)
your reel should look as this one when everything fits in as it should
(https://i.imgur.com/lDMOXX3.jpg)
You might notice a chopstick on my bench, I use it to set the eccentric spring in place, after the eccentric has been screwed in.
Works like a charm all the time and minimizes problems with chipping the plate, or bending the spring.
By the way, great job on the grinding on that plate, I had to look twice, I thought it was one of mine :).
Don't give up on these, with the exception of the screws cracking your plates when ot careful, you will not find a better reel in its size.
Do not use power drivers on these if you don't have to.
Sal
Sal is the Expert on these reels. He probably has more of them than anyone else in the free world.
I say he is spot on with your issue. After looking at the plate on Scott's website, I can see why the spring end is at 90 degrees.
That plate is a little different than a regular Senator.
Please keep us posted on your solution,
Daron
Another great thread. I have a 980 with a very similar issue that I have not opened up yet.
I sure regret selling all of mine. I always liked them but rarely used them. I bought them in the 80's.
Quote from: Shark Hunter on October 13, 2017, 01:01:33 AMWhen you tighten that eccentric nut on the other side, there should be no way for it to fall out.
Clearance on the inside of the plate doesn't allow this.
Do what thor said and put the spring in the hole of the eccentric, but don't put the other end into its fixed position until you have the lever and nut tightened on the outside.
Then use a small screwdriver to pry it up and grab it with a pair of needle nose to put the other end in position.
From looking at your picture, there in not enough tension on the spring.
The eccentric position should not let it move that far. Yours is straight down.
There is a small flat portion on the underside that keeps that spring from moving outside its range.
I think it is out of range when you tighten it up, leaving a gap for it to fall out of.
This pic is of a Bigger Senator, but the principle is the same on Penn Star Drags. See the bend on that spring?
It is in the notch and can't come out.
It is either that, or your plate is damaged letting it move out of range.
In my picture, that is as far as that spring can move on the eccentric.
Please let us know if you figure it out.
The only other diagnosis is a picture of your plate without the eccentric installed.
Great write up / response. I followed your method (mostly). I used two very small screwdrivers on the straight end of the eccentric spring, each 2 mm blade. I pried up the spring to lift it up over that little round nub, and used another small screwdriver to coax the end of the spring over the nub. I just didn't have a needle nose fine enough to do the job on this 113H spring. For the record, had to file down the turned up part of the spring so it wouldn't protrude above the top surface of the cam. Don't over do the file or you won't have enough meat on the spring to stay in the cam. Great website, glad to be on. Be sure I'll be looking for some delicate needle nose pliers.
Whoa, that was momentarily a joy. I thought this was a new thread,(didn't check dates), and Alan responded, and then my heart got light. Sal was talking Mag Power reels, and for a nano-micro second he was alive.
:d
He came to say hi on his birthday, if only in our heads :)
I have a DD 970 headplate Sal sent me when I when I needed to repair mine. Pretty sure he may have taken it off one of his reels. Matter of fact, pretty certain you sent me the tail plate I needed for that one!