540-3.2 Free Spool and Engage Problem

[MACflyer]

Working on my fishing buddies' Newell 540-3.2. About once every 4 or 5 times when lever is placed in free-spool, the spool is not completely disengaged. Spool spins but sounds like spool is slightly rubbing. The other issue is every 4th time or so when disengage lever is pushed forward to engage, it moves forward fully, but feels mushy: it doesn't snap. When that happens, it's harder to move reel handle, and can hear a definite snap when spool engages. Can also manually rotate spool backwards a little to get it to engage. Everything looks ok inside. I'm thinking jack spring needs replaced but would like an opinion from someone more experienced with Newells. Found the jack springs on eBay for a good price if that's what's wrong. Thanks!

[oldmanjoe]

You can stretch the spring a little to try , but look more at the jack and pinion fit also burr on pinion .

[MACflyer]

Thanks Joe. Cleaned and lightly filed the pinion, gear sleeve, and main gear even though they all looked fine. Stretched the spring a tad, although it seems fine too. Thought maybe spool shim, but problem exists when the whole bridge and gear assembly is removed. What exactly should I look/check for with the jack?

[alantani]

maybe shim the right side spool bearing to move the spool over to the left, away from the pinion gear just a little.

[oldmanjoe]

Thought maybe spool shim, but problem exists when the whole bridge and gear assembly is removed. What exactly should I look/check for with the jack?

Is the spool centered ? Does it float side to side ? With the handle facing the ceiling ,spin the spool , does it make any scraping sounds ? Do the same test with handle facing the floor .

[Swami805]

The bearing cap on the handle side should be screwed in all the way then adjust it from the other side. Maybe that reel doesn't have a bearing cap on the handle side?  You could try a shim there
If it's intermittent it might be something else. If it's a well used reel some of the parts wear into each other and when reassembled don't go back together exactly as they were. Something just hangs up or is off center a little. I had a few like that. I put some line on the reel, strung it up on a rod and added a sinker. Drop the sinker and wind it up a few times and see if the problem goes away, it's worked for me a couple times
You could try a new spring too, that could help
The 3.2-1 reels are odd birds

[alantani]

Is the spool centered ? Does it float side to side ? With the handle facing the ceiling ,spin the spool , does it make any scraping sounds ? Do the same test with handle facing the floor .

The bearing cap on the handle side should be screwed in all the way then adjust it from the other side. Maybe that reel doesn't have a bearing cap on the handle side? 

yup, try the easy things first!!!

[MACflyer]

Thanks everyone for your help! Thought there was side to side play but there was not. Found left side adjustment screw doing nothing to move spool so reseated left side bearing and now there's adjustment. Reseated right side bearing as well. All is working well although to me there's a little bit more side to side spool play than I think necessary. How much side to side spool play should there be? With Penns, I usually set the adjustment where there's just slight spool play. The spool is pretty well centered. If I shim the right side, I take it the shims go under the bearing? Really don't like these Newells with the plastic bearing covers.

[alantani]

How much side to side spool play should there be?

zero load, zero free play.

[oldmanjoe]

 I like 1-2 thousands ,for temperature swings , also I know I am not side loading the bearings .

[MACflyer]

Thanks Alan and Joe. Looks like I'm shimming the right side now.

[MACflyer]

Shimmed right side and all is well. Thanks again all!

[alantani]

nice!!!