I'm the owner of a 2003 Mercury Optimax, I've always prepared the engine for winter storage myself, specifically pouring oil into each cylinder. Unfortunately this year winter came early and I've procrastinated to the point that I never got around to it. All other storage steps have been taken, fuel is stabilized and lower unit oil changed.
Given that it's mid January and the motor has been idle since October, is there any point in trying to get the oil into the cylinders? I would guess that there's already surface rust on the cylinder walls, I'm not convinced there's much point given the number of months the motors been idle.
I guess I'm also wondering about the risks in neglecting this for the first time in 15 years?
I've always heard that it's to fight rust forming on the cylinder walls but at the same time I find it interesting you do this to outboard engines but not to other type of combustion engines that sit idle for months at a time.