Suzuki 20 HP DF20AEL5 Outboard Motor

Description

If you want a long shaft tiller outboard that starts at the push of a button, the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale on this page is the one. It is a new 20 horsepower four stroke with a 20 inch shaft, a twist grip tiller handle, electric start with a pull cord back-up and manual tilt. It is sold new in the factory crate and ships worldwide.

The price is on this page. Send us the delivery address and we quote freight before you pay a cent. We have sold this motor to sailors, skiff owners and small boat operators on every continent, and the questions are always much the same. Here are the answers.

What You Get With the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

The idea behind this model is a plain, honest motor. There is a tiller on the back so you steer with your hand. There is a starter button, so no rope pulling on a cold morning. There is no power tilt, so the motor is lighter and there is less to go wrong. And there is a long leg, so it works on the tall transoms of sailboats, big jon boats and displacement hulls.

It is not the cheapest 20 we sell, and it is not the most loaded. It sits in the sweet spot for people who want convenience without paying for a console, controls or tilt hydraulics.

Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale: Technical Specifications

For the full family overview, Suzuki has its 2.5 to 30 HP outboard range online. Our crate paperwork has the last word on any figure for your unit.

Decoding DF20AEL5 Letter by Letter

DF means a Suzuki four stroke. 20 is the horsepower. A is the current small motor generation. E is electric start. L is the 20 inch long shaft. The 5 is the production series.

Here the E replaces the T you see on other 20s. Where T means power tilt, E means a tiller style motor with electric start and manual tilt. If you also want power tilt on a tiller, that is the Suzuki DF20ATHL5. The Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale gives you the electric start but leaves the leg to be tilted by hand.

Tiller Steering: How It Works in Practice

The tiller handle is fixed to the motor, so when you move it the whole engine turns with the propeller. Push the handle one way and the boat turns the other. If you are new to a tiller, the first ten minutes feel back to front. After that it is second nature.

The twist grip on the end is the throttle. Twist it toward you for more power. A friction control keeps the throttle where you leave it, so you can let go for a moment to adjust a line. The gear lever sits at the front of the motor, and a lanyard switch kills the engine if you fall out. Always clip the lanyard on.

Boats That Suit the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

Sailboat auxiliary

Many small cruising sailboats have a tall transom or a bracket mount, and a 20 inch shaft reaches the water properly when the stern lifts in a chop. Electric start matters here. You do not want to pull a cord with a spinnaker flapping.

Large jon boats and heavy skiffs

Wide aluminium boats of 16 to 20 feet with a high transom are the classic home for this motor. Tiller steering is ideal for shallow rivers, duck hunting and small lakes.

Tenders and workboats

Harbour tenders, small ferries and fish farm boats need a motor that starts every time and is easy to repair. The tiller layout keeps the cost down.

Pontoon style and displacement hulls

On slow, heavy boats that need good bite more than speed, a long leg and a decent propeller deliver steady thrust.

Why Electric Start Is Worth It on a Tiller 20

A 327 cc twin is easy to pull start, and Suzuki fits a manual back-up through the cowl, so you are never stranded. But the push button changes how you use the boat. You can start the motor while standing at the bow. You can restart it quickly after stalling in a tight harbour. Older owners and people with bad shoulders find it makes a real difference.

The trade-off is a battery. You need a marine battery in the boat, with a charger and a couple of cables. For many owners that is a small price for convenience. If you would rather avoid it, the pull start Suzuki DF20AS5 has no battery at all.

How the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale Runs

It is a quiet engine. The exhaust leaves through the propeller hub, so most of the noise stays underwater. The two cylinder layout idles evenly and the fuel injection sorts out cold starts without a choke. When you open the throttle, it picks up smoothly and without hesitation.

The Lean Burn control reduces fuel use at cruise by leaning the mixture. How far that stretches a tank depends on your boat and load, so we do not quote a number. What you will notice is the lack of smoke and the lack of fuel smell compared with a two stroke.

Rigging the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

Rigging a tiller motor is easy. The checklist is short.

• A strong transom with a clamp surface that fits the Suzuki clamp bracket.
• A marine battery and cables for electric start.
• A fuel tank, hose and filter with the correct connector.
• A propeller with the pitch your boat needs.
• A lanyard fixed to the driver, not to the boat.

Set the anti-ventilation plate level with the bottom of the hull, run the boat, and adjust. If the propeller blows out in turns, lower the motor a hole. If there is drag and spray, lift it. A sailboat with a bracket mount should have the motor high enough that it does not scoop water at the stern.

Propeller Choice

The standard prop in this family is a three blade aluminium of about 9.25 inches in diameter, and Suzuki lists a pitch range of 7 to 11 inches. A heavy sailboat or loaded work boat needs less pitch. A light skiff can take more.

After fitting, load the boat as you normally use it and run at full throttle. If the engine cannot reach the top of its rpm range, go down a pitch. If it passes the top, go up. See the Suzuki genuine parts and accessories page for propellers, and ask us for advice on your hull.

Tilting the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale by Hand

With manual tilt you lift the leg by the cowl handle and lock it with the tilt lever. The motor is not very heavy for a 20, but you should still bend your knees and not twist your back. Use the lock for trailering and mooring. On a sailboat, tilt the leg when under sail to cut drag and keep the propeller clear.

Looking After the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

• Flush with fresh water after every salt or silty trip using the flush port.
• Change engine oil and filter once a year or by the hours in the manual.
• Change the gear oil every season, and check for milky oil.
• Check the anode and replace it at about half size.
• Change the water pump impeller every second season.
• Replace the fuel filter and stabilise fuel in storage.

With about a litre of oil in the engine, changes are fast and cheap. The Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale warns you with a buzzer for overheating and low oil pressure, and an over-rev limiter protects the engine.

Break-In for the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

Follow the break-in in the manual. Vary the revs for the first hours, avoid long flat out runs, and change the oil at the first service. It is boring advice, and it works.

Running Costs of the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

Fuel use varies a lot with hull, load, propeller and driver, so we will not publish a made-up figure. A fuel injected four stroke of this size uses much less than the two strokes it replaces. Parts are low cost and widely stocked, because Suzuki outboards are common worldwide.

The Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale Against Its Neighbours

Next to it in the range there are several motors, and they differ in small ways that matter.

• The short shaft tiller with electric start is the Suzuki DF20AES5.
• The long shaft tiller with power tilt is the Suzuki DF20ATHL5.
• The remote long shaft with power tilt is the Suzuki DF20ATL2.
• The 15 HP long shaft tiller is the Suzuki DF15AEL5.

If you cannot decide, tell us the boat and the transom height. A short answer from us may save you a restocking trip.

Using the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale on a Sailboat

Sailors should mount the motor so the propeller stays submerged when the boat pitches. A long shaft helps with that. Keep an eye on the cooling water stream while you motor, especially when sailing with a heel. Never run the motor while the leg is tilted up and out of the water. Fuel also matters on a boat with a heeling tank, so check the vent and the hose route.

Who Buys the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale From Us

The typical customer is practical and a little cautious. A sailor who has had enough of pulling a cord in a swell. A farmer or lodge owner who needs a boat motor that anyone on staff can use. A skiff owner whose old two stroke has finally given up. Some are boat builders who want a standard long shaft tiller for a run of hulls.

After a season, they tell us the same things. It starts on the button, it is quiet and the fuel bill is lower. That is what we expect from the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale, and it is why the long shaft tiller keeps selling year after year.

Getting Used to a Tiller Motor

People who have only driven boats with a wheel often worry about steering with a tiller. It takes a short while. Sit near the back, hold the handle in your steering hand and keep your weight low and centred. Make gentle moves, not big swings. At slow speed the motor turns the boat on the spot, which is useful for docking.

The rotating handle on the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale lets you stand or sit and still keep the throttle in a comfortable place. On small boats, move your passengers forward if the bow rides high. Trim by weight is the first tool on a tiller boat.

Trim Pin Settings and Shallow Water Drive

The clamp bracket has five holes for the tilt pin. They set the angle of the leg against the transom. Pin the motor too upright and the bow digs down. Pin it too far out and the bow rises and the boat porpoises.

Start in the hole that makes the leg vertical when the boat is at rest, then try the next hole out on a test run. Change one hole at a time. The shallow water drive is a second position that lifts the leg partly out of the water so you can creep over a sandbar. Never use it at speed, since the propeller can lose grip.

Battery Care for Electric Start

The starter takes power from the battery, and the alternator returns it while the engine runs. A small deep cycle or a starting battery both work, as long as it is a marine type, charged and clean. Check the terminals each season, coat them with grease and keep the vent clear.

If the boat sits for weeks, use a trickle charger or take the battery home. A flat battery is the most common reason a new Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale seems not to start. When that happens, the manual back-up start will still get you home.

Using the Manual Back-Up Start

A pull cord sits under the cowl. Suzuki lets you start it from outside the cowl, so you do not have to take it off. Put the lever in neutral, clip the lanyard and give a firm, steady pull. The pull is firm on a twin, but it is manageable.

Cold Climates and Hot Climates

Fuel injection starts the motor easily in cold weather, but drain the gear oil and winterise before a freeze. In hot weather, check the tell-tale stream more often and replace the impeller on schedule, since warm and silty water wears it fast.

Saltwater Care for the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

The Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale is salt water rated with multi-layer corrosion protection. It still needs your help. Flush it, rinse the clamps, wipe the cowl and spray a light inhibitor on exposed fittings. If you leave it on a mooring, tilt the leg up so the gearcase is out of the water.

Storage

Flush the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale, change the oil, grease the tilt points and clamp screws, stabilise the fuel and put the battery on a maintainer. Cover the motor and store it in the position the manual advises.

Common Faults and Checks

Will not crank. Check the lanyard is in, the lever is in neutral and the battery is charged.

Cranks but will not start. Squeeze the bulb, open the tank vent and drain the water separator.

No water from the tell-tale. Clear the outlet and replace the impeller if it stays weak.

Will not reach full revs. Check the propeller pitch and the motor height.

Alarm sounds. Slow down, check the cooling stream and the oil level.

Warranty

The Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale comes with Suzuki factory warranty paperwork. Terms vary by region and by how the motor is used and registered. Keep your invoice and service records. Ask us about cover in your country before you order.

Shipping the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

The motor ships in its factory crate on a pallet. We book freight to a port, an airport or your door, and you get a written quote before you pay for shipping. You receive tracking and export documents once the crate leaves us. If you have your own forwarder, we hand the crate over.

What Is in the Crate

• The Suzuki DF20AEL5 powerhead, midsection and gearcase
• Owner’s manual and warranty paperwork
• Standard factory hardware

Fuel tank, propeller, battery and cables depend on stock. Ask before you order and we will confirm exactly what is included.

Before You Order the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

• Measure the transom to confirm that a 20 inch shaft fits.
• Check the plate on the boat for maximum horsepower and weight.
• Decide between tiller and remote control.
• Decide whether you want manual or power tilt.
• Give us your country for a shipping quote.

Not sure about something? Ask. A quick question now saves a lot of trouble later.

Buying the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale From Us

Every motor we sell is new and the price is on this page. Before we ship, you get a delivery quote for your country so you know the full cost. We ship worldwide and prepare the export papers your customs will ask for.

When you order, we confirm stock, the model code and the shaft length. Read our refund and return policy and terms and conditions. See what buyers say on our reviews page, learn about us, or contact us with your questions.

More Suzuki Outboards to Compare

• All 20 HP Suzuki outboards
• Suzuki DF20AES5, short shaft electric tiller
• Suzuki DF20ATHL5, power tilt tiller
• Suzuki DF20AS5, manual start tiller
• Suzuki DF25ATHL5, 25 HP tiller
• All Suzuki outboards
• The full shop

Our blog has more on rigging and care. Suzuki’s global marine site shows the full range.

FAQ: Suzuki DF20AEL5 for Sale

Is the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale new?

Yes. New, in the factory crate, with Suzuki paperwork.

What shaft length is the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale?

20 inch, the L shaft.

Does the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale have electric start?

Yes, that is the E in the code. A manual back-up start is also built in.

Does the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale have power tilt?

No. It has manual tilt. For power tilt on a tiller, see the DF20ATHL5.

How heavy is the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale?

Suzuki lists 108 lb (49 kg) for the long shaft electric DF20A.

Do you ship the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale to my country?

Yes, we ship worldwide. Send us your location for a quote.

Final Word

If you want a long shaft tiller 20 with push button start and no extra hydraulics, the Suzuki DF20AEL5 for sale is straightforward, quiet and easy to live with. Order it today, or send us your boat and transom details first and we will help you check the fit.