Suzuki 20 HP DF20ATL5 Outboard Motor

Description

If you need a remote steered twenty horse four stroke with a long leg, the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale on this page is exactly that, new in the crate. It is a two cylinder, fuel injected 20 HP outboard with a 20 inch shaft, electric start, power tilt and a remote control layout. The price is shown on this page.

We sell new Suzuki outboards to private owners, small commercial operators and boat builders, and we ship worldwide. Tell us where the boat sits and we send you a delivery quote before you pay anything. This is a big small motor, built for boats that want a proper control box and a quiet, steady engine at the back.

Below you will find the full specification table, what each letter of the model code means, the boats and jobs the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale suits, rigging notes, running in, servicing, shipping and the questions we hear most. It is long because a remote outboard needs more planning than a tiller one.

Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale: Specifications

Weights vary a little with how the motor is equipped, so the paperwork in the crate has the final figure. Suzuki lists its small outboards together on its 2.5 to 30 HP outboard page, which is handy if you want to compare neighbours.

Reading the Model Code on the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

DF is Suzuki’s four stroke prefix and 20 is the horsepower. The A tells you it belongs to the newer generation of small Suzukis. T means power tilt on this size of motor. L is the 20 inch long shaft. The 5 at the end is the production series.

The letters that are missing matter as much. There is no H, so there is no tiller handle and you steer from the helm. There is no W, so the cowl is the normal colour rather than white. If you want that, look at the Suzuki DF20ATLW5, which is the same motor in white.

Why a Long Shaft Remote Twenty Makes Sense

Most buyers who ask about the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale have a boat that already has a steering wheel or a console, or a sailboat with a transom bracket that sits a long way above the water. A tiller does not help there. A remote motor with a control cable and a key switch does.

The long shaft is what makes the difference on a sailboat. A 15 inch leg on a tall transom pulls the prop out of the water when the boat pitches. Twenty inches keeps the propeller buried where it can bite. The same goes for deep sided jon boats and some inflatables with a rigid floor and a high transom.

Boats and Jobs for the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

Auxiliary power for sailboats

On a small cruiser a twenty horse motor will push the boat into a marina against a fair current. It is not heavy enough to upset the transom, and the power tilt lets you lift the prop clear of the water when you are under sail.

Kicker for a larger boat

Some owners hang a twenty on the back of a bigger fishing boat for trolling and as a get-home motor. Controls on the main helm can operate the kicker with a second cable set if the boat is designed for it.

Heavy jon boats and skiffs

Wide, flat hulls from fourteen to eighteen feet carry a twenty without trouble in rivers and lakes. The extra shaft length helps if the transom is tall or the boat is loaded deep.

Work boats and tenders

A club, a farm or a small resort may need a motor that starts every morning and can be run by someone who does not know engines. The Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale fits that job well.

What the Power Tilt Does for You

A power tilt motor lifts and lowers the engine with a switch. You do not have to haul a hundred pounds of outboard up by hand when you beach the boat, clear weed from the prop or leave the motor tilted on a mooring.

It is not full power trim. You set the running angle on the transom bracket with the pin, as on any small motor, and the tilt button handles the lifting. For a twenty horsepower boat that arrangement is simple and holds up well.

Rigging the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

This is a remote model, so you need the parts a tiller motor does not. A single lever control box mounted at the helm, a throttle and shift cable set cut to the right length, a steering cable or hydraulic kit matched to your wheel, a key switch panel and a harness.

Fit a marine battery as well. The Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale has electric start and a small alternator, so the battery needs to be sound and sized for the starter. A deep cycle battery that also runs lights and a fish finder is fine, provided you keep it charged.

Check the transom before you order. Measure from the top of the transom down to the bottom of the hull. A 20 inch shaft suits a transom around 20 inches tall. Mount the motor so the anti-ventilation plate sits level with the hull bottom, then adjust after a test run.

A Sensible Install Order

Do the job in a fixed order and it goes smoothly. First mount the motor and tighten the clamp screws, then fit the safety chain or cable if your boat has one. Next run the control cables with gentle bends and no sharp kinks, and connect the shift and throttle at the motor end.

After that wire the harness and key switch, connect the battery cables with the correct polarity, and fit an inline fuse or battery switch. Last, connect the fuel line and prime the bulb. Test the shift in neutral on the trailer before you go anywhere near the water.

Starting, Battery and the Fuel System

The injection system on this motor does not need a battery to run, which is unusual. Pull the manual backup and it fires without electrical help. In daily use you press the key and it starts, and the battery only has to turn the starter.

That design has real value for people who keep a boat in poor conditions. A flat battery does not strand you, because the recoil backup is always there. Keep the battery topped up anyway. A motor with power tilt and electric start will always be happier with a healthy one.

Fuel

Run clean regular unleaded petrol, 87 octane. Keep the tank vent open, use a water separating filter if you can fit one, and do not leave old fuel in the tank through a long layup. Injected engines forgive a lot, but stale fuel still causes trouble.

Features That Matter on the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

• Battery-less electronic fuel injection with Lean Burn Control
• Electric start with manual backup
• Power tilt from the helm
• Low oil pressure and overheat warnings
• Over-rev limiter to protect the engine
• Fresh water flushing port
• Multi-layer corrosion protection for salt water use
• Exhaust through the propeller hub, which keeps it quiet

Lean Burn Control adjusts the air and fuel mixture to the load. On a motor that spends most of its day at modest throttle, that is where the saving comes from. How much depends on your boat, so we will not quote a number.

How the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale Feels in Use

Twenty horsepower on a small boat is lively, and the engine is smooth. A two cylinder four stroke has a gentle beat at idle, and the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale holds a steady trolling speed without hunting. Shifts are clean, and the motor does not stall when you drop it into gear.

Noise is low because of the hub exhaust and the covered engine. You can talk in a normal voice at the helm. For sailboat owners who put up with a noisy old outboard for years, that is the first thing they notice.

Sailboat Owners: Things to Check First

A sailboat transom is a different animal from a power boat one. Many carry the motor on a bracket that lifts it out of the water. Check the bracket rating against the weight of the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale, and make sure the tilt range clears the water with the boat heeled.

Think about the prop too. Under sail a stopped propeller drags. Some owners fit a folding or feathering prop, and others simply tilt the motor out. The power tilt makes the second option a one-button job.

Fuel is the other point. Many sailboats carry a small portable tank. A twenty horse motor will use more than a tiny kicker, so make sure the tank holds enough for the harbour runs you expect and a reserve.

Who Buys the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

Our buyers are mostly sailors who want a reliable auxiliary, small fishing operators who need a second motor, and boat builders rigging new skiffs and workboats. Some of them are replacing a tired two stroke. Others are fitting a first engine on a boat they just built.

What they tell us afterwards is simple. It starts, it is quiet and they stopped worrying about it. That is the whole pitch for the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale, and we would rather say so plainly than dress it up.

Running Costs

Fuel use depends on the hull, the load, the prop and how hard you push, so we will not give you invented figures. Fuel injection and Lean Burn Control help the motor use less than an older carburetted twenty, and a clean hull and the right prop help as much as the engine does.

Service parts are cheap and easy to find. Oil, filters, a plug set, an impeller and a couple of anodes cover most years of ownership. For the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale that keeps the cost of ownership low and predictable.

Breaking In the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

Follow the owner’s manual first. As a rule, avoid sitting at one steady speed for the early hours, vary the revs, and stay off full throttle for long runs. Change the oil and the gear oil at the first service interval.

Watch the cooling stream on every start. A steady jet from the tell-tale tells you the impeller is working. If it dribbles, stop and check before you ask the motor to work.

Maintenance Schedule for the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

• Flush with fresh water after every salt or dirty water trip.
• Change engine oil and filter at the intervals in the manual, or yearly.
• Change the gear oil each season. Milky oil means water is getting past the seals.
• Check anodes and renew them when about half gone.
• Replace the water pump impeller every two or three seasons.
• Replace fuel filters and check the fuel line and primer bulb.
• Grease the tilt and steering points.

The Suzuki genuine parts and accessories range covers filters, impellers, anodes and props for this motor. Parts are standard stock almost everywhere Suzuki is sold.

Choosing a Propeller

The right prop lets the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale reach the 5,300 to 6,300 rpm range at full throttle with your normal load. If it cannot get there, the pitch is too high. If it passes the top of the range easily, go up in pitch. A boat with three people and gear wants a different prop from the same boat running empty.

Tell us your boat, its weight and how you use it, and we will suggest a starting size. Test with a handheld tachometer before you decide it is right.

Remote Twenty or Tiller Twenty?

A tiller motor is lighter and cheaper to rig, so it is the better choice on a small open boat where you sit at the back. A remote motor like the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale costs more to set up but gives you a wheel, a console and the layout most modern boats use.

If you prefer a tiller, our Suzuki DF20ATHL5 is the 20 inch tiller version with power tilt. There is also a short shaft remote in the Suzuki DF20ATS5 for lower transoms.

Should You Step Up to a Twenty Five?

The 25 HP Suzuki has three cylinders and 490 cc against 327 cc here. It is a bigger, heavier motor. If your boat is rated for 25 and you want more push with a load, the Suzuki DF25ATHL5 is the next step up. If your hull is happy with 20, stay there. It is lighter on the transom and easier to carry and store.

Salt Water Care

Flush the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale after every salt water outing. Rinse the cowl, wipe the salt off the clamp brackets, and tilt the motor up when the boat sits on a mooring. Spray a corrosion inhibitor under the cowl now and then. The finish is tough, but salt will find a gap if nobody looks.

Storage Between Seasons

After the last trip of the season, flush the motor and drain the fuel, or stabilise it. Change the oil, grease the moving parts and remove the battery to charge it indoors. Store the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale upright on a stand or in the boat, with a cover on.

Common Problems and Quick Checks

Will not crank. Check the kill switch lanyard, the neutral position of the lever and the battery terminals.

Cranks but will not start. Squeeze the primer bulb until it is firm and check the tank vent. Drain any water from the filter.

Weak tell-tale stream. Clear the outlet with a piece of wire. If the flow is still weak, have the impeller checked.

Will not reach full revs. This is usually the wrong prop or a motor mounted too low. Check the prop first.

Warning buzzer. Slow down at once and check the cooling stream and oil. Never run with an alarm sounding.

Before You Order the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

• Measure the transom to confirm a 20 inch shaft is right.
• Check the boat’s maximum rated horsepower and engine weight.
• Decide what controls, cables and battery you need.
• Tell us your country so we can quote shipping.

If anything is unclear, ask. A few minutes of questions now saves a lot of trouble when the crate arrives. The Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale is a simple motor to live with once it is rigged correctly.

Warranty Notes

The motor ships with Suzuki factory warranty paperwork. Terms depend on your region and on how the motor is used, for example leisure or commercial. Keep your receipt and service records, and ask us about warranty in your country before you order.

Buying the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale From Us

Every motor we sell is new, and the price is shown on this page. Before you pay, we give you a delivery quote for your country so you know the full cost. We ship worldwide and prepare the export documents your customs office asks for.

When you order, we confirm stock, the model code and the shaft length with you. The crate is strapped and protected, and once it is moving you get tracking. Our refund and return policy and terms and conditions are on the site. Read what buyers say on the reviews page, learn about us, or send questions through the contact page.

Shipping and Delivery

The Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale ships in its factory crate. We book freight to your door, nearest port or airport, or to a forwarder you already use. Small outboards travel well and arrive with all the loose parts packed in the box.

What Comes in the Box

• Suzuki DF20ATL5 outboard motor
• Owner’s manual and warranty paperwork
• Standard Suzuki factory fittings

Control box, cables, harness, propeller and fuel tank depend on what we hold in stock. Ask before you order and we will tell you what ships with your motor.

Other Suzuki Motors to Compare

• All 20 HP Suzuki outboards
• Suzuki DF20ATLW5, white
• Suzuki DF20ATS5, 15 inch shaft
• Suzuki DF20AEL5, tiller, electric start
• Suzuki DF15ATHL5, 15 HP
• Suzuki DF25ATHL5, 25 HP
• Suzuki DF30ATL5, 30 HP
• All Suzuki outboards
• The full shop

Our blog carries more on rigging and caring for outboards. Suzuki’s global marine site shows the worldwide outboard line.

FAQ: Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale

Is the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale new?

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

What shaft length does the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale have?

20 inch, the L shaft. It suits a transom around 20 inches tall.

Is the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale a tiller or a remote motor?

Remote. You steer from the helm and need a control box and cables.

Does the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale have electric start?

Yes, with a manual backup. The fuel injection does not need a battery to run.

Does the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale have power trim?

It has power tilt. You set the running angle on the bracket with the pin.

How big is the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale?

327 cc, two cylinders, about 20.0 cubic inches.

Do you ship the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale to my country?

We ship worldwide. Send us your location and we quote delivery before you pay.

Final Word

If you want a quiet, fuel injected remote 20 that sits low on a long transom and tilts at the push of a button, the Suzuki DF20ATL5 for sale is a sensible buy. Order it today, or send us your boat details first and we will check the fit with you.