Suzuki 20 HP DF20AS5 Outboard Motor

Description

The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale is the plainest, lightest and cheapest way to own a new Suzuki 20. It is a two cylinder four stroke with a 15 inch short shaft, a tiller handle and rope start. There is no battery, no wiring and no starter motor to think about. You pull the cord, it runs.

We sell it new in the factory crate with the price shown on this page, and we ship worldwide. Give us your address and we quote delivery before you pay. If you want the simplest reliable motor for a small boat, this page covers everything you need to decide.

Why a Pull Start 20 Still Makes Sense

Electric start is nice, and most buyers want it. But there is a solid case for leaving it off. No battery means no charging, no corroded terminals and no dead starter on a damp Monday. No wiring means one less thing for salt water to eat. And the weight drops, which matters on a small boat or a tender you lift on and off a dock by hand.

The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale is also the right choice as a spare. Many owners keep one as a second motor, because it works when the electrics do not. Others use it where the boat sits ashore most of the year and gets launched for a few outings.

Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale: Specifications

The family figures come from Suzuki’s own 2.5 to 30 HP outboard page. If a number matters for a bracket, a survey or an insurer, ask us and we will check it against your crate.

Breaking Down the Code DF20AS5

DF is Suzuki’s four stroke prefix. 20 is the horsepower. A is the generation. S is the 15 inch short shaft. The 5 is the production series.

Notice what is missing. There is no E, so no electric start. There is no T, so no power tilt. There is no H, because on this model the tiller is simply part of the design. There is no W, so the cowl is black. A short code, because there is little to add. That is the appeal of the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale.

Weight: The Real Advantage

At 97 lb, this is the lightest 20 horse four stroke in the family. The electric short shaft model is 105 lb, and the long shaft electric is 108 lb, according to Suzuki. The gap does not sound like much, but with a battery and cables added, it grows.

That matters most on small aluminium boats and inflatables with tight transom ratings. It also matters if you lift the motor by hand every trip. A carry handle is built into the cowl, so the motor can be moved by two people without a hoist. Check your boat plate for the maximum engine weight before you order.

Boats That Suit the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

Small aluminium fishing boats

A twelve to sixteen foot boat with a short transom is the typical home. Tiller steering, light weight and low cost match the way these boats are used.

Dinghies and tenders

Many cruising boats carry a tender that needs more than a five or ten horse motor to plane with two aboard. This one gives the extra reserve.

Inflatables and RIBs

Short shaft transoms are common on inflatable boats. Check the boat’s rating, since many are rated below 20, and ask us if you are not sure.

Backup and kicker use

On a larger boat with a short transom, a pull start 20 is a dependable get-home motor that does not need the main battery.

How to Pull Start a Four Stroke Twin

Do it right and it takes one or two pulls. Put the lever in neutral. Clip the lanyard on. Squeeze the primer bulb until it feels firm. Hold the motor steady with one hand on the tiller, and draw the cord out smoothly until you feel resistance. Then give a firm, steady pull along the cord line, not upward.

Let the cord return by hand. Do not let it snap back. If the motor is cold, you may need two or three pulls. If it floods, wait a minute and try again. With fuel injection there is no choke, so you do not need to touch anything else. The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale is built to fire quickly once fuel pressure is up.

The Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale On the Water

It is a quiet motor, since the exhaust leaves through the propeller hub. Idle is steady. Throttle response is smooth, and the Lean Burn control keeps the mixture efficient at cruise. The twist grip on the tiller is easy to use, and a friction control lets you set the throttle.

Do not expect a rocket. A 20 on a small boat is a pleasant, capable motor. With a light load it planes quickly, and with a heavy load it still moves the boat with no strain. Fuel use depends on the hull and the load, so we will not quote numbers.

Rigging the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

This is as easy as outboard rigging gets.

• Check the transom height and the clamp area.
• Connect a fuel line to the tank, with a filter and a primer bulb.
• Fit a propeller with the correct pitch.
• Clip the lanyard to the driver.

There is no battery to mount, no cables to run and no control box. Bolt the clamps down evenly, then fit the safety cable if your boat has an eye for it. Set the plate level with the hull bottom, and adjust height after a test run.

Choosing the Propeller

The family uses a three blade aluminium propeller of about 9.25 inches in diameter, and Suzuki lists pitches from 7 to 11 inches. Choose by load. A light boat with one person can use a higher pitch. A boat carrying people and gear needs a lower one.

To test it, run flat out with your usual load. If the engine reaches the top of its range, you are in the right place. If it goes past, increase pitch. If it cannot get there, decrease it. See the Suzuki genuine parts and accessories page for propellers and service parts.

Break-In for the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

Follow the break-in in the manual. Use varied revs for the first hours, avoid long wide open runs and change the oil and filter at the first service. With a litre of oil in the engine, it is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

Service Plan for the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

• Flush with fresh water after salt or silty trips.
• Change the oil and filter yearly or by the manual’s hours.
• Change the gear oil each season, and look for milky oil.
• Check the anode, and replace it at half size.
• Change the impeller every second season.
• Replace the fuel filter and keep fuel fresh.

Without a battery or starter, your service list is shorter than on an electric model. The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale still has an overheat warning, a low oil pressure warning and an over-rev limiter.

Running Costs of the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

A fuel injected four stroke uses far less fuel than the old two strokes it replaces, and it does not need oil in the gasoline. We will not quote a figure, because it depends on the boat. Parts are cheap and common. Plugs, filters, impellers and anodes are everyday stock items.

Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale or the Electric Start Models?

Pull start suits you if you value weight and simplicity, if you launch by hand and if you do not mind a cord. Electric start suits you if you carry passengers who cannot pull a cord, if you run often or if your boat has stop and start work.

The neighbouring models are the Suzuki DF20AES5 with electric start and the Suzuki DF20ASW5 in white. If your transom is tall, the long shaft pull start is not offered in this range, so look at the Suzuki DF20AEL5.

Short Shaft Check for the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

Measure from the top of the transom to the bottom of the hull. About 15 inches is a short shaft. About 20 inches is a long shaft. The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale has the short shaft only, so measure before you order.

Who Buys the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale From Us

Buyers of the pull start 20 fall into a few clear groups. Anglers with a small aluminium boat who want a motor they can lift in and out of the car boot. Yacht owners who need a bigger tender motor but would rather not manage another battery. Operators of camps, schools and clubs where many hands use the same boat. And a surprising number of people who simply like the idea of an engine that has nothing to fail except the engine.

Their comments are short. It starts, it does not smoke and it is light. For the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale that is the whole review.

Tender Use on a Cruising Yacht

A 20 horse tender motor is more than most dinghies need, but it solves a real problem. On a long passage you may need to run ashore for supplies in a chop, tow another dinghy or push a loaded inflatable against a tide. A five or six horse motor struggles. A twenty gets there.

Stowage is where weight shows. Lifting a 97 lb motor from a pushpit bracket to the dinghy is a two person job on a moving boat, but it is far easier than the electric version. Carry the motor upright or on its side as the manual allows, and never lay it with the powerhead lower than the gearcase, since oil can run where it should not.

Looking After a Rope Starter

The rope is the only part of this motor that wears out by use. Pull it straight along its line, never at an angle, because side pulls fray the cord against the guide. Let it wind back by hand. If the rope looks furry or thin near the handle, replace it before it breaks, since a new cord is cheap and takes minutes.

Keep the starter area free of salt and sand. A quick rinse when you flush the motor helps. Grease the pulley area lightly once a year if the manual lists it. Treat the starter well and the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale will start for many years without a repair.

Fuel Tank and Hose Choices

A portable tank with a primer bulb and a quick-release connector suits this motor. Keep the hose short and free of kinks, and make sure the connector clicks home. Check the tank vent each trip, since a closed vent starves the engine and mimics a fault. For boats that spend months on a mooring, a tank with a water-separating filter prevents most no-start calls.

Use fresh unleaded gasoline of the octane the manual lists. Do not mix oil in the tank. This is a four stroke with its own oil sump, and mixing oil only fouls plugs.

Where the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale Fits in the Range

Suzuki makes 15, 20 and 25 horsepower versions of this engine family, with several shaft, start and tilt combinations. The 20 is the middle size. It has the most choice of boats and the best balance of weight and power. If your boat plate allows 25, the extra five horses are available on the Suzuki DF25AS5. If it allows only 15, look at the Suzuki DF15AS5.

Trailering and Car Transport

Because it is light, this motor is the one most often carried in a car. If you do it, secure it upright or on its side as the manual permits, on a blanket or a purpose made stand. Drain any water from the leg first and keep the fuel line disconnected. Never leave it lying on the cowl with the propeller in the air for long trips, since oil can drain into places it should not.

On a trailer, tilt the leg up and use the support so the gearcase clears the road. Check the clamp screws before you drive, and fit a safety cable if the boat has an eye for it. A loose clamp is the usual cause of a lost outboard.

Choosing a Fuel Tank Size

A six gallon tank is enough for a day on a small boat. For longer trips, carry a spare tank rather than a larger one, so you can swap quickly and keep weight low. Always leave a reserve, because the boat will not hold the engine up if the tank runs dry in a current. Fuel use depends on the hull and the load, so base the size on your own habits, not on a guess.

Cold and Hot Weather

Fuel injection helps cold starts. A few pulls and the engine catches. Before a freeze, drain the lower unit and winterise as the manual says. In hot places, watch the tell-tale stream and change the impeller on schedule.

Saltwater Care for the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale is salt water rated and has multi-layer corrosion protection. Flush after every salt trip, rinse the clamps and wipe the cowl. Spray a light inhibitor on exposed fittings now and then.

Storing the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

Flush the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale, change the oil, grease the tilt points, stabilise the fuel and cover it. With no battery, you have one less item to look after. Store the motor in the position the manual allows.

Common Faults and Quick Checks

Will not start after many pulls. Check the lanyard, neutral, the primer bulb and the tank vent.

Starts then dies. Look for water in the fuel and a pinched fuel line.

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 at once and check cooling and oil.

Warranty

The Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale comes with Suzuki factory warranty paperwork. Terms depend on your region and on how the motor is used and registered. Keep your invoice and service records, and ask us what applies in your country.

Shipping the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

The 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. You get tracking and export documents once it leaves. If you have your own forwarder, we hand the crate over.

What Is in the Crate

• The Suzuki DF20AS5 powerhead, midsection and gearcase
• Owner’s manual and warranty paperwork
• Factory hardware

Fuel tank, propeller and fuel line depend on stock. Ask before you order and we will confirm the contents.

Before You Order the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

• Measure the transom for a 15 inch shaft.
• Read the boat plate for maximum horsepower and weight.
• Decide between pull start and electric start.
• Tell us your country for a shipping quote.

Ask if anything is unclear. A short question is cheaper than a wrong order.

Buying the Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale From Us

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

We confirm stock, the model code and the shaft length on each order. 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 any question.

More Suzuki Outboards to Compare

• All 20 HP Suzuki outboards
• Suzuki DF20ASW5, white pull start
• Suzuki DF20AES5, electric start
• Suzuki DF20AEL5, long shaft
• Suzuki DF15AS5, 15 HP
• Suzuki DF25AS5, 25 HP
• All Suzuki outboards
• The full shop

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

FAQ: Suzuki DF20AS5 for Sale

Is the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale new?

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

Is the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale pull start?

Yes. It has manual rope start only and no battery.

What shaft does the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale have?

15 inch short shaft.

How heavy is the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale?

Suzuki lists 97 lb (44 kg).

Does the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale need a battery?

No. The fuel injection is battery-less, and starting is by rope.

Can you ship the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale to my country?

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

Final Word

If you want a light, simple, fuel injected 20 with no battery and no fuss, the Suzuki DF20AS5 for sale is hard to beat. Order it today, or send us your boat and transom details first and we will confirm the fit.