if the drag lever is at strike it only takes about a 1/4" of movement down on the lever or sometimes even a vibration will do it, for the rod to go into freespool.no matter how tight or loose the adjustment is on the drag what could be the problem? drag washer looks ok and the buealevelle /disc springs appear to be in good shape as well. any help would be greatly apreciated thanks!
Did you service the reel? I can be incorrect here since I'm not seeing the reel, but maybe the drag lever is not engaged under the preset and it can feel as if its engaging because its in a tight spot. So ultimately your not really in strike.
Could be a number of different things here. First the obvious.. make sure the drag lever is properly mounted to the cam, and the washer(s) are in place, and rides properly on the quadrant ring. Next ensure all cam parts are installed properly and there is no excessive wear present (i.e. the cam pins, marred/scored housing or slots, etc.., and that tells cam is installed properly..
Flippingamy it 180 degree will produce different results. Test the cam and lever function with the right sideplate removed. Then check your Belleville config, and overall stack height.
The other option is to replace the cam with a newer style with a more positive transition out of freespool (has a recessed notch it it at the bottom ends.
Most likely you just need to flip your cam assembly around 180 degrees.
Hope that helps?