Oops, I was distracted and laid down my 5hp Marina 4 Stroke on the wrong side It was left in the boot like this for 3 days. It has now been up on it's stand for a couple of weeks. Is it knackered
I ain't no expert so wait for someone with more knowledge to come along, but if i remember rightly doing this basically allows oil to run into places it shouldn't normally.
I did this once and found I couldn't turn the engine over due to hydraulic lock. I took the spark plug out the top, held a rag over the hole, turned over a few times. Put spark plug back in and all was right with the world.
No; remove the plug/s and air filter, turn the engine over a few times and clean any oil off with a rag.
Start engine after checking oil level and let it idle until any smoke clears.
If you have even tried starting it without emptying the ( presumed ) excess oil in the combustion chamber there's a risk of bent con-rods etc; it is imperative you're sure the chamber is empty before turning it over with the plug in.
Might be worth a brightly coloured sticker or even a ' This Side Up ' graphic as an aide memoire ? It's an accident waiting to happen when one is a bit hassled by other stuff...