Picked up a new Curado E7 today at Bass Pro.  I get the reel home and when you turn the handle the spool only sporadically engages.  You can turn the handle many, many times withouth the spool turning.  It smells like they really oiled/greased (not sure what they use) the reel at the factory.  Anyone else have this issue?  Obviously I plan on returning the reel but it's a 2 hour drive.  I will have to mail it back.

How loose is the drag?

I tried to adjust the drag as well as the tension knob...no change.

if there is oil on the drag washers you can fix it by tightening the drag and puling line offf against the drag until the friction wipes the oil off.if not just get a pflueger patriarch and be done with it. ;D

Thanks Dodgeguy.  That seemed to have worked.  Never seen that before.  Learn something new every day.

Thanks again.

u r welcome!!!