Abu Garcia 6600 C4

[FirePro911]

New to site and have been reading it and love it. Posted my problem on 2coolfishing.com and was directed here. So now I have a new bookmark.

I just bought a used 6600 C4 which is in new condition overall. Previous owner said they only used it twice. I looked it over real good, pushed clicker to check to see if it disengages, checked the drag, reeled it and everything checked out good. I got it plus the stick (Castaway) for $75.00.

So I get it home, pulled all the string off to put 65lbs braid on it, the pulled the side off (Handle side) and the spool and looked in it. It looked excellent on the inside. Put it back together and took it fishing for the first time.

Well I used it first to drop straight down in 25' water to catch Croakers for shark bait. When I got one, about 4" long, the reel would reel it in. Basically, when it is under load, I have to pull the fish up and reel real fast going down. No matter the size of the fish, once the reel gets under load, it is hard to turn the handle. I kept trying to use it and hooked into a 20" Speckled Trout and it took a lot of work to get it in.

Without a load on it, it reels in fine and smooth. So I am wondering (hoping) it is something simple as me just putting it back together wrong. Confusing as we always use Garcias on the boat with no problems. The other ones, 6400, 6500, 6600 C3 have always worked flawlessly from bait fish, Slot Redfish and Bulls, and up to sharks at 4' long.

So I assume this 6600 C4 would be the same. About to open it up and take a good luck with the schematics I D/L'd and wonder if anyone else has experienced this and could point me in the right direction. I always rebuild my reels, so I do have knowledge of them.

Thanks!

[Ken_D]

Hello. This is a unique challenge (for me) after working with Abu reels since year 1992.
As described, with no reel in hand, I'm unsure what's going on.

I will email my higher sources and see what they can add.

I can say, though, that the high speed transmission is low on torque, compared to the standard 5.3-1 ratio.
It may be something simple, like the frame rubbing on the spool under load, or just that lack of torque.
If this has been hapenning a while, you may note that the anodizing is rubbed off one side of the spool wall, or both walls.

I'll report my findings when found, and just maybe a reader here has an answer before I get back.

[FirePro911]

Thanks for the reply. When I tore it down, apparently it was not as clean as I thought it to be. So I cleaned it thoroughly and polished a lot of it.

First, I did not see anywhere where it could be rubbing, so it is good there. On the gear ratio, I see the C4 has the 6:3:1 and the C3 has the 5:3:1. I also use a 6600 C3, though with the C4, even though it is a high speed gear ratio, it shouldn't have the problems it is having while fighting a 6" Croaker.

Here is what I found when I broke it down.

The bearings are in great shape


The drag area was real clean


Internally, it was gunked up pretty good.


So I removed everything, cleaned and polished it all and oiled it.


The main gear was real gunked up, but the washers were all in great shape. Though you can see the washer on the release gear is gunked up as well as the raised center part on the main gear. So instead of the two moving freely of each other, I'm thinking the gunk buildup caused them to stick a lot, thus causing the problem I had.


The main gear before, as you can see, it had a lot of heavy dirty grease on it as well as some corrosion.


After I cleaned and polished it.


Cleaned this release gear up


Cleaned and polished all other components, including the frame. Oiled everything as I was putting it back together and will see if that did any good tomorrow when we go out.

[redsetta]

Great work FP (and cracker pics, too).
Good luck tomorrow.
Cheers, Justin

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

good job! i also have the C4 6600 and i love it. BTW, welcome to Mr. Tani's neighborhood....

[Pro Reel]

How is your line guide, worm gear and pawl? It sounds to me like something in that area works fine under no load, but may be in a bind with line pull on it. Perhaps the line guide itself is in a bind in the top track?

[alantani]

any possibility that the spool is rubbing against the frame and is binding under a load?  you will see rub marks on the spool if that is the case. 

[Nessie Hunter]

A worn bushing or wrong size Spool bearing will allow the spool to rub the frame when under a load..   
Check the frame where spool edges are located to look for marks - as Alan suggested..

Just an FYI = Pic #2  is NOT the Drags, that is the casting brakes (brakes) you adjust for casting control of backlash..
The Drag Washers and Plates are those inside & under the main gear.
Im sure it was just a typo..   Dont mean to be picky..  :-) 

At least Im reading the post!!   LMAO...  :-)





.

[FirePro911]

Nessie Hunter, Yea, when I said drag, I meant the drag on the casting part, I just worded it wrong. lol!

The reel did great yesterday. We were on the bite and I was reeling in Redfish between 27" up to 32" with it. Plus all the Gulf Trout, Speckle Trout and other assorted fish.

I also had to get used to the high speed part of it. I normally use a 6500 C3, so this reel threw me off in that it is a high speed retrieval reel. Once I got used to it, everything seemed good to go.

As I said, we use these reels for Jetty Fishing as lot. SO they get abused on the fish out there. I spent all day Sunday rebuilding all four of them as it had been about 6 months since the last time.

I did land a four foot Blacktip Shark on my 6500 C3. Thought he was going to spool me at first, but I slowed him down finally with the drag. Thanks for all the tips everyone!

[redsetta]

I did land a four foot Blacktip Shark on my 6500 C3. Thought he was going to spool me at first, but I slowed him down finally with the drag.

Nice work FP - that would've given it a work out!

[FirePro911]

Ok, after fishing it some more, I think I would like to lower the gear ratio down to 5:3:1 for more torque. Overall I love the reel, but since we fish the Jetties a lot and go after big fish with these Abu's, torque is what we need, not speed.

My 6500 C3 is perfect with the 5:3:1 ratio, so if I can change the ratio on the 6600 C4 that would be great. If I understand correctly, the big brass gear, main gear, is the ratio gear and the release gear with the shaft is the pinion gear?

So if I replace the main gear, do I replace the pinion gear? As far as I know the pinion gear just releases the thumb push line release? Also, I wonder if I would have to change out the worm gear to get the proper line carriage sweep?

I would think the since both the pinion gear and worm gear rely on the ratio of the main gear, then changing the main gear might be all I have to change. Been Googling it see if anyone else who has done it has posted about it.

I'll get some great pics and document it with part numbers just as I do for all my projects. lol!

About to also take pics and do a write up on changing out my wife's cheesy brass drag setup on her red 6000. That little brass piece bends in every direction and never holds its shape.

[Nessie Hunter]

Gear ratio change out MUST have Main & Pinion matching..
The number of teeth, spacing & the cut/angle is important....
Make sure and get a matched set....
Level wind should not be a factor...

[Ken_D]

NH's got the gearset bang-on. You can sometimes get a really good barely used set from the flea-bag. On the flapper line out: the more expensive click and tongue setup will fit. You will need to buy the entire setup, or cobble it off an existing parts reel you have. Nothing from the flapper style is common. (complete setup is about
11.00 + adds)

A new flapper costs very little. (.75 cents usd + adds) The main reason they fail is incorrect re-install after a service on the side of the reel. Once installed wrong, they bend and distort, rarely ever to be reset back to operation mode. 

[FirePro911]

Thanks on both replies! Will get started on ordering parts.

[Thrillz]

How do you remove the star shapepiece on the spool to get to the bearing ?