Suzuki 20 HP DF20AES5 Outboard Motor

Description

The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale is a new 20 horsepower tiller outboard with a 15 inch short shaft, electric start and manual tilt. It is the lightest way into electric start on a Suzuki 20, and it is the version most small aluminium boats, tenders and RIBs end up with.

We stock it new in the crate with the price on this page. We ship worldwide, and you get a delivery quote to your door before you commit. Below you will find the specs, what the code means, the boats it suits, rigging, prop choice and care, written the way we would explain it across the counter.

The Short Version of the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

• 20 HP, two cylinder, four stroke, fuel injected, 327 cc.
• 15 inch short shaft for a standard height transom.
• Tiller steering with a twist grip throttle.
• Electric start with a manual back-up.
• Manual tilt with five pin positions.
• Suzuki lists 105 lb (48 kg) for this configuration.
• New in the factory crate, shipped worldwide.

If that matches your boat, you can order now. If not, keep reading, because the shaft and the tilt choice are where most mistakes happen.

Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale: Specifications

These figures match Suzuki’s own 2.5 to 30 HP outboard range information. Small differences between production runs can happen, so the owner’s manual in the crate settles any argument.

What the Letters in DF20AES5 Tell You

DF is the Suzuki four stroke prefix and 20 is the power. The A is the current generation of small motors. E means electric start, and it tells you that this motor has a tiller handle. S is the short 15 inch shaft. The 5 is the production series.

It helps to compare the neighbours. Swap the S for an L and you get the long shaft DF20AEL5. Drop the E and you get the pull start DF20AS5. Add a T and an H and you get power tilt on a tiller. The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale sits in the middle: one button for the starter, one hand for the tilt.

Light Enough to Carry

At 105 lb the motor is not a featherweight, but it is manageable. Two people can lift it onto a transom without drama. One strong person can do it with care. The integrated carry handle on the cowl helps.

That weight matters for small boats. Many inflatables and light aluminium hulls have strict transom limits, and a short shaft 20 at this weight is easier to balance than older carburetted four strokes. Always compare the motor weight against the boat plate, and count the battery as well.

Who Should Buy the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

Small aluminium boats

Twelve to sixteen foot fishing boats with a standard transom are the heart of the market. Two adults and gear go on the plane easily, and tiller steering keeps the weight low and the cost down.

RIBs and inflatable sport boats

Many tenders and small RIBs take a short shaft. Check the rating on your boat before ordering, since many are rated below 20.

Tenders to bigger boats

If you moor a larger boat and need a reliable dinghy motor with real power, electric start is useful when the water is rough and your hands are cold.

Camps, lodges and shore stations

Anywhere that guests or staff run a boat, the simplicity of a tiller and a start button is a safety feature in itself.

Why Pay More Than a Pull Start 20?

The pull start version is cheaper and lighter, and it has no battery to look after. The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale costs a bit more but adds a starter motor, a battery and a charging system. If you only use the boat now and then, that may feel like extra baggage. If you use it often, or carry passengers who cannot pull a cord, the button pays for itself.

Honestly, many owners start with the pull version and later wish they had the electric one. Nobody goes the other way. You can see the cheaper option at the Suzuki DF20AS5 page.

How the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale Drives

The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale idles quietly because the exhaust goes out through the propeller hub. The engine comes on smoothly and there is no choke to manage. Pull the throttle grip and the boat steps up onto the plane in short order with a modest load. The gear shift is a lever at the front of the motor, and it engages cleanly.

Suzuki’s Lean Burn control thins the mixture at cruise. How much you save depends on the boat, the load and the propeller, so we do not promise a figure. You will notice the lack of smoke and the lack of fuel smell compared with an old two stroke.

Rigging the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

A tiller motor is one of the easier things to rig. The list is short.

• A transom of the correct height with a solid clamp area.
• A marine battery, cables and a charger.
• A fuel tank, hose and filter with the right connector.
• A propeller with the right pitch for the boat.
• A kill switch lanyard fixed to the driver.

Mount the motor so the anti-ventilation plate sits level with the bottom of the hull. Run the boat, and adjust. If the propeller blows out, lower the motor. If spray and drag build up, raise it.

Propeller Choice for the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

The standard propeller for the family is a three blade aluminium unit of about 9.25 inches in diameter, and Suzuki lists a range of pitches from 7 to 11 inches. A light boat with one person can use a higher pitch. A loaded boat needs a lower one.

The method is simple. Load the boat as you usually do and run flat out. If the engine reaches the top of its rpm range, the pitch is about right. If it passes the range, go up a pitch. If it cannot get there, go down. Genuine propellers and accessories are listed on the Suzuki parts and accessories page.

Running In the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

Follow the break-in in the manual. Vary the revs in the first few hours, avoid long wide open runs and change the oil and filter at the first service. With a litre in the sump, this job costs very little.

Maintenance Schedule for the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

• Flush with fresh water after every trip in salt or silty water.
• Change engine oil and filter yearly or by the manual’s hours.
• Change gear oil each season and look for milky oil.
• Check the anode and replace it at about half size.
• Change the impeller every second season, sooner in sandy water.
• Replace the fuel filter and keep fuel fresh.
• Check the battery and terminals at the start of each season.

The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale has an overheat warning, a low oil pressure warning and an over-rev limiter. If the buzzer sounds, stop and find out why.

Battery Notes

Use a marine battery and keep it charged. The alternator supplies a 12 amp system output that tops the battery up while you run, and that is enough for lights and a small sounder. If the boat sits for weeks, use a maintainer or take the battery home. A flat battery is the number one cause of no-start complaints on new motors.

Fuel and Operating Costs

Fuel burn on the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale depends on the hull, the load, the propeller and how hard you drive. Any number we gave you would be a guess. Compared with older two stroke motors of the same power, fuel injected four strokes are far cheaper to run and do not need oil mixed into the fuel.

Parts are widely stocked. Filters, plugs, impellers and anodes are everyday items, which keeps service costs sensible.

Short Shaft or Long Shaft on the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale?

Measure from the top of the transom to the bottom of the hull. Around 15 inches calls for the short shaft. Around 20 inches calls for the long shaft. The wrong length either ventilates or drags.

If your boat needs the long leg, the matching tiller is the Suzuki DF20AEL5. If you want power tilt on a tiller, look at the Suzuki DF20ATHL5. If you want remote control, see the Suzuki DF20ATS2.

Who Buys the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale From Us

A lot of our short shaft tiller orders come from people replacing something old. An ageing two stroke that smokes and will not idle. A carburetted four stroke that needs a rebuild. A motor that was stolen or lost overboard. They want the same kind of boat to run again, only with a motor that starts first time and does not stink of burnt oil.

Others are first-time boat owners who bought a small aluminium hull and want a new engine from the start. And some are operators who buy several at once for rental boats and shore patrols. For all of them the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale is an easy motor to understand.

A First Day on the Water

Before the first trip, read the manual from cover to cover. It takes twenty minutes, and it tells you the oil grade, the break-in and the warnings. Check the oil, fit the propeller with the right nut and cotter pin, connect the fuel, and set the tilt pin in the hole that keeps the leg vertical at rest.

At the ramp, put the motor in the water before you start it. Press the starter button with the lever in neutral and the lanyard clipped on. Watch the tell-tale for a steady stream, listen for the idle to settle, and then try forward and reverse at the dock before you leave. If anything sounds odd, stop and ask us. Most first-day worries turn out to be small ones.

Setting Up the Tilt Pin Correctly

The five holes in the clamp bracket decide the angle of the leg. With the leg too upright, the bow digs down and the boat feels heavy. With the leg too far out, the bow lifts and the boat can porpoise. Find the hole that gives the best ride with your normal load, and note it for next time.

The two shallow water positions raise the leg a little so you can creep over a bar or across a weedy flat. Use them at low speed only. Move the pin back for normal running, because the propeller needs full depth to grip at planing speed.

Weight Distribution on Small Boats

On a 14 foot boat, a 105 lb motor and a battery on the transom shift the balance backward. Put the fuel tank and the battery forward of the middle seat if the boat’s design allows. Seat the passengers so the bow rides slightly above level when you are at rest. Fix that now and you will find the boat easier to trim at speed.

The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale is lighter than most older four strokes of the same power, so even a small boat should handle it, as long as the plate permits.

Getting the Most From Fuel

Use fresh unleaded gasoline of the octane the manual lists, and keep the tank clean. Do not leave fuel in the tank for months without stabiliser. Water in fuel causes more problems than anything else, so use a water separating filter if the boat lives outdoors. A cheap clear filter in the line tells you at a glance whether the fuel is clean.

Spares Worth Keeping in the Boat

A small box of spares turns a bad day into a minor delay. Keep a spare propeller with its nut and pin, a spare spark plug and plug spanner, a fuel filter, a couple of spare shear pins or cotter pins, and a small roll of tape. Carry a paddle too. No motor is immune to a fouled prop or an empty tank.

Add a basic tool kit and a length of rope. If you run on salt water, bring a small bottle of corrosion inhibitor. The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale is simple enough that most roadside fixes need nothing more than these items, a bit of patience and a clean pair of hands.

Insurance, Registration and Paperwork

Many countries want engines registered with the boat, and insurers like to see the serial number, the model code and the invoice. Keep a copy of your invoice and the warranty card with the boat papers, and photograph the serial plate on the clamp bracket. If the motor is ever stolen, that picture saves a lot of time. We supply the model code, serial details and export documents with every shipment.

Cold and Hot Weather

Fuel injection starts the motor easily in the cold. Before a freeze, drain the lower unit and winterise as the manual says. In hot weather, watch the tell-tale and replace the impeller on time, because warm, silty water wears it quickly.

Salt Water Care for the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale is salt water rated and has multi-layer corrosion protection. Flush after every trip, wipe the cowl, rinse the clamps and spray a light inhibitor on the exposed fittings.

Storing the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale Between Seasons

Flush the Suzuki DF20AES5 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 allows.

Common Faults and Checks

Will not crank. Check the lanyard, neutral and the battery.

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

Weak tell-tale stream. Clear the outlet and check the impeller.

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

Warning buzzer. Slow down and check the cooling stream and oil.

Warranty

The Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale carries Suzuki factory warranty paperwork. Terms depend on your region and on how the motor is registered and used. Keep receipts and service records, and ask us about cover in your country before you order.

Shipping

Your motor travels in its factory crate on a pallet. We book freight to a port, an airport or your door, and give you a written quote before you pay for shipping. Once the crate moves you get tracking and export documents. If you use your own freight forwarder, we hand the crate to them.

What Is in the Crate

• The Suzuki DF20AES5 powerhead, midsection and gearcase
• Owner’s manual and warranty paperwork
• Factory hardware

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

Checklist Before You Order the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

• Measure the transom to confirm a 15 inch shaft.
• Read the boat plate for maximum horsepower and weight.
• Decide on tiller or remote control.
• Decide on manual or power tilt.
• Tell us your country for a shipping quote.

If you are unsure about anything, ask. A short question now beats a wrong order.

Buying the Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale From Us

Every motor we sell is new and the price is shown on this page. Before we ship you get a delivery quote for your country. We ship worldwide and prepare the export paperwork.

We confirm stock, the model code and the shaft length with you on every order. Our refund and return policy and terms and conditions are on the site. Read what buyers say on our reviews page, see about us or contact us with a question.

More Suzuki Outboards to Look At

• All 20 HP Suzuki outboards
• Suzuki DF20AEL5, long shaft electric tiller
• Suzuki DF20AS5, pull start tiller
• Suzuki DF20ATHL5, tiller with power tilt
• Suzuki DF15AES5, 15 HP
• Suzuki DF25AES5, 25 HP
• All Suzuki outboards
• The full shop

Our blog covers rigging and care in more depth. Suzuki’s global marine site shows the full range.

FAQ: Suzuki DF20AES5 for Sale

Is the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale new?

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

What shaft length is the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale?

15 inch short shaft.

Does the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale have electric start?

Yes. It also has a manual back-up.

Does the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale have power tilt?

No, tilt is manual. Power tilt on a tiller is the DF20ATHL5, in long shaft.

How heavy is the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale?

Suzuki lists 105 lb (48 kg) for the short shaft electric DF20A.

Can you ship the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale to my country?

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

Final Word

If you want a light, quiet, fuel injected 20 with a start button and a tiller for a boat with a 15 inch transom, the Suzuki DF20AES5 for sale is a sensible buy. Order it today, or send us your boat details and transom measurement first and we will confirm the fit.