A gentleman from Canada posted the following query about cleaning his reel on the Bass Fishing Home Page.

I have a Shimano Bantam Magnumlite Speedmaster 2200. It is an old reel but I love it. I have taken the whole reel apart. It is all laid out on a sheet in my basement ready to be cleaned. What can I use to clean the gears etc. After that is done what kind of lubricant should I use. I have some Zebco oil and grease. Is this any good. I have read lots of posts on this site about Rocket Fuel. Can I use this on my reel. Any suggestions on how it can be improved would be appreciated Getting cold here. Boat put away for the winter. Lots of time for getting gear ready for spring. You think it is possible to jump over the winter Thanks guys and girls

Here's my response.

Congratulations on your attempt at cleaning your own reel. Some folks don't even want to try it.

Cleaner -- I don't know if they sell it in Canada, but I use a biodegradable degreaser called Simple Green to soak reels. It�s available in the auto department of WalMart. I've also been told that Castrol Purple degreaser works well too. Mix it 1 part degreaser to 2-3 parts water and let the reel parts soak for several hours. Make sure they are completely covered. Use an old toothbrush (the stiffer the better) to dislodge any stubborn gunk. Rinse in clear water and let dry thoroughly. Be careful not to lose any small parts.

You can use plain old Ronsonol or Zippo lighter fluid (naptha) to clean the small parts and degrease the bearings. You can use it on all the small parts � use an acid brush (stiff brush with a metal handle) to help remove the gunk. Put the bearings in a small container (I use small plastic medicine cups) and let them soak in lighter fluid for 10-15 minutes. You'll probably see the fluid change color after a while as it dissolves the old grease. Remove the bearings from the fluid and tap them gently to remove the excess cleaner. Then dispose of the old lighter fluid, refill the container, and soak the bearings again. Do this as many times as necessary until the fluid remains clear.

Now tap the excess fluid out of the bearings and check them for smoothness. Hold the outer race between your thumb and index finger and stick the point of a plain old wooden pencil in the hole. SLOWLY rotate the pencil feeling for any roughness. If it's rough at all, replace the bearing. If not, you can reuse it. Interestingly enough, this old reel uses the same bearings as a Curado, Calcutta, or Chronarch. If the bearings need replacing, I�d suggest upgrading to ABEC7 bearings. They have closer tolerances than stock bearings and are cheaper too.

Inspection � things to check. 1) Check the Anti-Reverse Pawl for wear. It is a metal arm with very thin copper plates mounted on each side. Those copper plates do wear out, so if they are getting thin or are deformed, replace the pawl. The copper plates have to grab the sides of the Anti-Reverse Ratchet. If they aren�t worn thin but are bent out a little, you can CAREFULLY bend them back together so they grab firmly. 2) Check the Pinion Gear for wear. Look into the hole where the spool shaft goes (the end with no teeth). There are two small flat lands that hold the spool that may be worn. Replace if they are.

Re-lubing � OK, here�s the mantra. 1) Oil bearings and bushings. Oil stock bearings liberally. ABEC7s need less lubrication to realize their full potential. Excess oil will just slow them down. 2) Grease gears and any metal that slides on another surface. Get the grease down into the gear teeth. I use a small, stiff paintbrush for this chore. Wipe off any excess. Put a very thin coat on sliding metal parts. Just put a tiny bit on the end of your finger and rub it on. A little dab� do ya!

Products � Zebco grease will work fine. As I said, use it sparingly. Zebco oil is OK too. Yellow Rocket Fuel can be used with either stock or ABEC7 bearings. It�s thinner than Zebco oil, and will allow your reel to cast farther. You can use the Rocket Fuel for everything, but I�d reserve it for the spool bearings. That�s where it does the most good. The ABEC7 bearings will also increase your casting distance and provide additional smoothness over stock bearings.

The biggest improvement you can probably make on this nice old reel is a set of ABEC7s lubed with Yellow Rocket Fuel. Use just one drop from the bottle per bearing. More will overload the bearing and slow it down.

Good luck & Good Fishing -- Jim Johns, Heartland Tackle Service - The Best Reel Service in the Heartland!