# Reel Oil question for Shimano reels.



## JohnPD

My question is whether or not it is safe to add oil made for reels other than that Bantam oil that Shimano says to use, without first flushing out all the Bantam oil?
I use Ardent reel butter currently on my reels, but just picked up a Sahara 2500FD and just want to know if it's safe to add what I use on top of the Bantam oil already in there.
Could mixing different brand bearing lubes be harmful to the bearings in the long run?


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## 10fish

pulled out a manual for my symetere and it didn't mention that I only had to use Shimano lube or didn't give a warning not to mix. My only thought is that the Ardent butter would be fine for the worm drive but being thicker than the bantam it might not be best for the spool or roller bearing. The bantam is much thinner.


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## James F

I don't mix oils or lubes.On bearings I use oil, i have access to missile grade oil. I have 2oz.enough to pass on to my sons when I'm gone! Lube on gears and other moving parts on all of my Shimano's. In years past MANY!! I would use grease on every thing and wondered why my reels sounded and felt like they were going seize up. Ever since I make sure NOT to mix the two.


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## JohnPD

James F said:


> I don't mix oils or lubes.On bearings I use oil, i have access to missile grade oil. I have 2oz.enough to pass on to my sons when I'm gone! Lube on gears and other moving parts on all of my Shimano's. In years past MANY!! I would use grease on every thing and wondered why my reels sounded and felt like they were going seize up. Ever since I make sure NOT to mix the two.


I'm not talking about mixing grease with oil, I'm talking about say putting Ardent Reel Butter on the bearings that already have Bantam oil on them without cleaning/degreasing them first. Therefore essentially the bearing would have two different oils on them.


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## M.Magis

It's not worth worrying about. Fishing reels aren't precision, high speed instruments.


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## robertj298

JohnPD said:


> My question is whether or not it is safe to add oil made for reels other than that Bantam oil that Shimano says to use, without first flushing out all the Bantam oil?
> I use Ardent reel butter currently on my reels, but just picked up a Sahara 2500FD and just want to know if it's safe to add what I use on top of the Bantam oil already in there.
> Could mixing different brand bearing lubes be harmful to the bearings in the long run?


You seem to be confused. You don't use oil on your gears and you don't use gear lube on your bearings.If you haven't oiled your bearings in a while it won't hurt to add a drop to each one but just one drop.If you want to put new gear lube in I would clean the old lube out first. Just remember when you lube and oil your reel, you just use a small amount. You don't want the grease or oil going where its not supposed to.


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## robertj298

M.Magis said:


> It's not worth worrying about. Fishing reels aren't precision, high speed instruments.


You must fish with a zebco 33.


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## Shortdrift

robertj298 said:


> You must fish with a zebco 33.


Was that a compliment coming from a 202 user?


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## M.Magis

robertj298 said:


> You must fish with a zebco 33.


Fishing reels simply arent high speed instruments, they operate at very low speeds. And though reel manufactures like us to think theyre highly precise pieces of machinery, they arent. By todays standards of what can be manufactured, fishing reels are relatively crude. Mixing two oils wont hurt a thing.


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## robertj298

M.Magis said:


> Fishing reels simply arent high speed instruments, they operate at very low speeds. And though reel manufactures like us to think theyre highly precise pieces of machinery, they arent. By todays standards of what can be manufactured, fishing reels are relatively crude. Mixing two oils wont hurt a thing.


There is a big difference in a cheap reel and a high quality reel.Take apart a high priced shimano or daiwa reel and then tell me they aren't precise. Too much oil or grease or the wrong kind of oil or grease can have a huge impact on a reels performance.


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## Bassbme

If its Reel Butter oil, there is no problem mixing the two oils. As everyone has been saying oil for bearings. Light oil, and a light amount of oil. Over oiling won't kill the bearing, but it will hamper its' performance until the bearing sheds the excess oil. Over oiling a spinning reel isn't as bad as over oiling say.... the spool bearings on a bait caster though. There aren't any parts in a spinning reel that spin at high speeds.


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## M.Magis

robertj298 said:


> There is a big difference in a cheap reel and a high quality reel.Take apart a high priced shimano or daiwa reel and then tell me they aren't precise. Too much oil or grease or the wrong kind of oil or grease can have a huge impact on a reels performance.


No, they arent precise, nor high speed. Those are the two instances that I can think of where the right oil would be critical. The gears of any fishing real, no matter how high end, arent anything special and have large tolerances (relatively speaking). No one is debating oil vs grease. He simply asked if he could mix the two oils. The answer is yes.


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## robertj298

M.Magis said:


> No, they arent precise, nor high speed. Those are the two instances that I can think of where the right oil would be critical. The gears of any fishing real, no matter how high end, arent anything special and have large tolerances (relatively speaking). No one is debating oil vs grease. He simply asked if he could mix the two oils. The answer is yes.


So I guess the 50,000 RPMs that some spools turn when you cast them isn't high speed?


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## leeabu

One drop of the Ardent reel Butter oil per bearing will be fine. Modern baitcast reels are high precision high speed machines.


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## JohnPD

Thanks guys. I actually called Shimano today and asked them what they think, they said the Bantam Oil is nothing more than mineral oil. Can you believe that?
Either way, the lady I spoke with said it's their recommendation to stick with mineral oil, but if I should go with a different lube, to stay away from Hot Sauce because it has a bonding agent that in the long run could damage their bearings.
I'm not trying to start a war as to whether Hot Sauce is good or not, just passing on what Shimano said on the phone.


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## M.Magis

I'm done arguing about it. I don't think you guys actually understand what a "high precision" instrument is. It certainly isn't any fishing reel.


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## avantifishski

Louisiana or red hot? LoL.........wow

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## jessica casey

can anyone tell me if the oil used in fishing reels is poisonous, i got some in my mouth when cleaning one of my reels, just wondering if i should go to a hospita


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## avantifishski

avantifishski said:


> Louisiana or red hot? LoL.........wow
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Jessica my question still valid

Sent from my MILESTONE3 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## jessica casey

I do not know what kind of oil it is, its what ever would b on them when u buy them, a sonora 4000fa shimano reel, i was trying to find out what kind of oil is used and i came to this site so i logged in thinking maby one of u guys could give me an answer


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## Snakecharmer

jessica casey said:


> can anyone tell me if the oil used in fishing reels is poisonous, i got some in my mouth when cleaning one of my reels, just wondering if i should go to a hospita


Don't worry the amount of oil in a reel won't kill you.


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## jessica casey

thank you i feel better now, leave it to me to get the oil from a fishing reel in my mouth lollol


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## Snakecharmer

jessica casey said:


> thank you i feel better now, leave it to me to get the oil from a fishing reel in my mouth lollol


Welcome to OGF by the way! Lots of good people with good info if you ask.


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## thelatrobe33

Don't worry about mixing different oils on a spinning reel. The bearings aren't moving on the cast like they are on a baitcaster. On spool bearings on a baitcaster I'd never mix two different oils. Some of the additives in these performance oils today don't mix well.


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## James F

Welcome to the site.That little amount of oil won't hurt you, but tastes terrible.I've been sprayed in the face by all kinds of oils at work over the years and sill alive.I have had those thoughts every time that has happened


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