Hi all,

Just got back a shimano CI4 from the reel shop. It's my 1st giving to someone else to tune up but I was wondering if there should be this much grease in it? When I did a few cast I could see the blue grease coming out from the sides of the spool. The place told me that it was normal. I got home and thought I should open it up to see. The attach photo is what I saw. Is it normal? Am I overreacting to nothing?

There is no attached photo.

Hootie

I don't see any grease! Pictures please! Jk..

Are you fishing in Salt? Seems excessive to me..

Nope, just freshwater. The place I dropped it to focuses more on salt water stuff. Think the tech didn't know how to deal with a freshwater reel? 

 

Are you fishing in Salt? Seems excessive to me..

My Ci4 was caked from the factory. I cleaned mine myself because it's way too much for my liking. You should send it to DVT next time or someone else different from who you used. I'd never accept that back.

That's a safe assumption, lots of guys use bass gear in salt/ brackish.. He probably thought that. For fresh it does seem excessive, maybe ideal for salt though.

Ahh, your probably right. I was just so surprised when I started to reel and I could see it squeezing it out from the sides X_X

Wow, that is a lot of grease.  When I saw the pic, I just about fell out of my chair.  I would clean it and start over. 

 

It should look something like this......

 

 

I did a triple take and zoomed in. I can't believe how much is in there.

Who did this to your reel? Who did you send it to?

 

Did you remove the spool to see what the other side looks like? I'd check the entire reel at this point inside and out.

Wow, that doesn't look normal. Just scrape off the excess and use it to flavor your next batch of eggs or potatoes. 

i grease the sideplate and frame with a light coating for saltwater fishing. there shouldn't be any excess grease coming out between the spool and frame. that's too much.

Thanks all, the place acted like it was normal. I thought I was in the wrong. I guess I'll just open it up myself and clean it out.

The place is certified for Shimanos. I guess saltwater shimanos LOL

I don't even see how the brakes can work properly with all that grease. I don't see a reason to have any grease in the side cover at all if you're just fishing in freshwater.

I don't even see how the brakes can work properly with all that grease. I don't see a reason to have any grease in the side cover at all if you're just fishing in freshwater.

 

 

True. That much grease is a brake! Even for salt water that is excessive.

 

Guys use to do what was called "reel packing" filling up the insides of reels solid with grease for salt water with the idea that all that grease in there would prevent the salt water from getting in because there would be no room for water if packed tight with grease, and the grease would also help to prevent corrosion, but the placement of this much grease in the brake hub I can see no purpose it would serve towards keeping salt water out, unless that much grease was intended to be some sort of a barrier to keep salt water intrusion back from the bearing, but yeah, those brakes would have a fun slippery time in there, and I was wondering how does it cast with all that grease in there?

 

I'd like to see how the spool looked on that side.

It didn't look too bad when I brought it home. I told them the grease seemed excessive so I guess they wiped down the spool down. I feel better about it after a through cleaning but I still see the shimmer from the leftover grease. I will try it out tomorrow and if it's bad, I will probably send it to DVT.

True. That much grease is a brake! Even for salt water that is excessive.

 

Guys use to do what was called "reel packing" filling up the insides of reels solid with grease for salt water with the idea that all that grease in there would prevent the salt water from getting in because there would be no room for water if packed tight with grease, and the grease would also help to prevent corrosion, but the placement of this much grease in the brake hub I can see no purpose it would serve towards keeping salt water out, unless that much grease was intended to be some sort of a barrier to keep salt water intrusion back from the bearing, but yeah, those brakes would have a fun slippery time in there, and I was wondering how does it cast with all that grease in there?

 

I'd like to see how the spool looked on that side.

Give Mike at DVT a shot at your reels. You wont be disappointed and you will not see anything like that on the finished product.

Pretty normal for a lot of saltwater guys. It's to prevent salt and sand intrusion, not for lubrication. For most freshwater, not really necessary. Grease all over the sideplate doesn't mean that the bearings are packed. Chances are it casts fine still.

Even for salt water use there's no reason for gobs of grease. That's ridiculous imp. It won't do damage but performance will suffer until it's cleaned an lubricated correctly. If it were me I'd redo the job free whether it was "right" in my mind or not. We're all only human and err occasionally, but for me it's all about customer satisfaction at the end of the day.

Thanks all, the place acted like it was normal. I thought I was in the wrong. I guess I'll just open it up myself and clean it out.

The place is certified for Shimanos. I guess saltwater shimanos LOL

Just because they are "certified" doesn't mean much.  I've never seen that much grease in ANY saltwater reel I fish.....any reel actually.  You could always scrape out the extra and use it.  May have enough for 5 or 12 other reels.  There isn't a reason for that.  I always thought it was a thin film, not an actual layer.  

I did a triple take and zoomed in. I can't believe how much is in there.

 

Ditto, wow.  They don't come from factory that way, I can attest to that.  The reel guy needs to attend a Shimano workshop.