I have a 150hp 4stroke motor. I live in Iowa and we have pretty rough winters. So ig I'm asking when should you get your boat winterized. How many days of cold weather (also how cold is cold) until it's time? I'm just looking for a general theory that will protect my motor thank you

 

mods I posted this in bass clubs by accident yesterday. Sorry I meant to post it here 

do it after your last outing. I usually do mine at the end of Oct. at my age I can't take the cold like I used to. I used to fish til the ice forced me to shut it down.

I too am from Iowa. I generally winterize mine after the last outing of the year. This usually is the last week of Oct or first week of November. It seems the past few years and the going trend is there is a warm snap at the end of October/Early November. The guideline I follow is I look ahead at the forecast and look for overnight temps to dip into the low 40s/high 30s and winterize a few days ahead of that. 

I agree with the previous posts, but caution you to make sure your engine lower unit is put into the vertical position to drain it of water.  That sort of comes naturally with most setups, but if it doesn't, make sure water is not trapped in the lower unit.

 

I've heard recommendations to kick it over with the starter after use to clear the water pump of water, but I believe every water pump has a small hole to drain it.  

 

One of the dealers in our area, central MI, requires a customer to sign a release against freeze damage on winterize jobs brought in after Nov 1.

North East Mo. here, did it at the end of Oct. last year and wish I would have fished 3 more weeks.

I normally fish until ice up. Around these parts I'm winterizing beginning of December. 

I live in central Minnesota and I winterize mine near the end of October, then get it out to start using around the end of April.  Some people fish later into November and the border rivers in March but I don't because I deer hunt in November and turkey hunt in April anyways.

After the ice is too thick to break through at the ramps...unless I feel like fishing the Mississippi.

 

...most years I don't bother.

Seems to me the only thing you would really need to do is make sure all the water drains from the lower unit. You can always 'winterize' later. 

What is winterizing ????

Change the plugs, change the lower unit lube (by looking at it you can tell if your seal is leaking allowing water into the lower unit), change the oil on a four stroke, do any other lube/cleaning that might be needed, then fog the engine with fogging oil to coat the cylinders with oil.  Some engines may have specific needs above these. 

5 hours ago, tander said:

What is winterizing ????

It's the opposite of the 104* with 100% humidity you are accustomed to. 

5 hours ago, MickD said:

Change the plugs, change the lower unit lube (by looking at it you can tell if your seal is leaking allowing water into the lower unit), change the oil on a four stroke, do any other lube/cleaning that might be needed, then fog the engine with fogging oil to coat the cylinders with oil.  Some engines may have specific needs above these. 

You change plugs every year?  Seems like you could go at least several years on the same set.

12 hours ago, Further North said:

You change plugs every year?  Seems like you could go at least several years on the same set.

I had a Suzuki 4 stroke for 18 years, ran like new from beginning to when I sold it to upgrade boat, changed plugs every year.  They may have lasted longer, but for less than $15 a year, I wanted no possible problems.  I believe that Suzuki recommended annual replacement.  The engine started as quickly and cleanly in the spring as it did in the fall, even with the fogging oil in it.  Too bad Lund doesn't have a contract with Suzuki.  

2 hours ago, MickD said:

I had a Suzuki 4 stroke for 18 years, ran like new from beginning to when I sold it to upgrade boat, changed plugs every year.  They may have lasted longer, but for less than $15 a year, I wanted no possible problems.  I believe that Suzuki recommended annual replacement.  The engine started as quickly and cleanly in the spring as it did in the fall, even with the fogging oil in it.  Too bad Lund doesn't have a contract with Suzuki.  

Mick, I'm running a Suzuki 4-stroke* now (DF140) and I check the plugs...but didn't have to replace them as they looked just fine.  There is always a spare set in the boat, just in case...it takes less than 10 minutes to pop them in if there's a problem.

 

As a sidebar, what finally went bad on my last set of plugs was the resistor...the plugs themselves were fine.

 

*Mine is one of the re-badged Johnson 4-strokes.  Says "Johnson" on the outside, Suzuki everywhere on the inside.

1 hour ago, Further North said:

There is always a spare set in the boat, just in case...it takes less than 10 minutes to pop them in if there's a problem.

Different strokes for different folks.  I never considered changing plugs on the water.  But I keep a spare set, one year old plugs, in the boat just in case.     In 18 years I never had a single malfunction with the 50 HP Suzuki, changed the water pump impeller twice, and the  usual winterization and that was it.  They are great engines.  My Suzuki was quieter than the current engine associated with Lund.  Had a more pleasant tone to its sound, too. 

5 hours ago, MickD said:

Different strokes for different folks.

Yup, that's kinda my mantra.

 

5 hours ago, MickD said:

I never considered changing plugs on the water.

I'd use the trolling motor to get to the nearest dry land for the swap.