Tohatsu 20 HP MFS20ES Outboard Motor

Description

We have the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale new in the box and ready to ship. It is a 20 horsepower Tohatsu four stroke outboard with a 15 inch shaft, tiller steering and manual recoil start.

We sell new Tohatsu outboards to boat owners, fishing guides, sailing schools, resorts and dealers, and we ship worldwide. Tell us where you are and we send a delivery quote before you pay for anything. Keep that in mind with the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Below you will find the full specs, what the model code means, the boats it suits, how it runs, care tips, shipping and the questions buyers ask us most. It is a long page, but a motor is a purchase you live with for years and the details matter.

Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale: Specifications

Specs can change slightly between production runs, so the paperwork in the box is the final word. Tohatsu lists the current figures on its Tohatsu MFS20E page.

What the Model Code on the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale Means

Tohatsu codes are easy once someone explains them. MFS means a Tohatsu four stroke and 20 is the horsepower. The E after the horsepower marks the model series. The S at the end means a short 15 inch shaft.

The Lightest 20 in Its Class: the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale

Tohatsu says its MFS20E is the lightest 20 horsepower outboard in its class. At about 43 kg for the base model, it weighs about the same as many 15s.

It uses the 333 cc two cylinder with electronic fuel injection and a digital ignition. EFI gives easy starts and smooth running, with no carburettor to service.

Twenty horsepower on a light boat is a lot of fun. It is also a popular choice where boats are limited to 20 HP. That applies to the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale as much as any motor.

Boats That Suit the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale

Aluminium boats

14 to 16 foot boats rated for 20 HP.

RIBs and inflatables

Up to about 4.5 m.

Skiffs and small runabouts

Light, fast boats.

Pontoons

Small pontoons on calm water.

How the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale Runs

The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale is lively. Light boats jump onto the plane and run at a good speed.

It is smooth and quiet for a twin, and the EFI idle is steady for trolling.

About Tohatsu Outboards

Tohatsu is a Japanese company that has specialised in outboards for decades. It is especially strong in portables and mid range motors, and its engines have powered boats under other badges too. For an owner, that means proven designs, wide parts support and a motor that is easy to service almost anywhere.

Short, Long or Ultra Long Shaft?

Measure your transom from the top to the bottom of the hull at the centre. About 15 inches needs a short shaft (S), about 20 inches needs a long shaft (L) and about 25 inches needs an ultra long shaft (UL). Sailboats often need a long or ultra long shaft so the prop stays in the water when the boat pitches. The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale has a 15 inch shaft.

Fitting It to Your Boat

Place the motor in the middle of the transom, tighten both clamp screws and recheck them after a short run. Adjust the trim rod so the motor is vertical when the boat is under way. If you can, use a safety lanyard or chain between the motor and a strong point on the boat. It is cheap insurance. Many repeat customers come back for a second Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale or the 25 HP?

The MFS25D steps up to a 500 cc three cylinder and weighs about 58 kg.

The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale gives you strong power for about 15 kg less. On light boats that weight saving is worth a lot.

Who Buys the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale From Us

Most buyers are private owners with a tender, a small aluminium boat or a sailboat. After them come fishing guides, rental and sailing clubs, resorts and boat dealers. What they want is simple: a new motor, the right shaft length, proper paperwork and a fair delivered price.

The First Trip

On the first outing keep it simple. Check the oil level before you clamp the motor on, tighten the clamp screws properly, and tie a light safety line from the motor bracket to the boat. People do drop outboards over the side, usually on the day they skip that line.

Run at varied low and mid throttle for the first stretch, as the break in notes say. Watch the tell tale, listen for anything that sounds odd, and get used to how the boat turns. By the end of the afternoon you will know how the 20 HP motor behaves with your load on board.

Getting the Hang of the Pull Start

A recoil start is one less thing to go wrong. There is no battery to go flat, no starter motor and no wiring to corrode. That is a big plus on a small boat that spends weeks sitting on a trailer or in a shed. The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale is covered here too.

Neutral, throttle on the start mark, choke out when cold, then pull through the slack until you feel compression and give it one smooth pull. Do not let the handle snap back against the cowl. Owners who learn that rhythm rarely need more than two pulls.

Steering and Throttle Feel

The twist grip throttle and tiller arm give you direct control. Set the steering friction so the motor stays put when you take your hand off, but still turns without effort.

Remember that an outboard steers by pushing the stern sideways, so the back of the boat swings out when you turn. In a marina, slow down early and use a short burst of reverse to stop. Practise this a few times in open water and the next tight berth will not feel so bad. It is worth remembering when you run the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Day to Day Use

A good small outboard should not need much thought. The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale starts quickly, runs cleanly and needs only basic care: a fresh water flush after salt, a quick look at the oil level and fresh fuel. Do that and it will keep going season after season.

Breaking In the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale

Follow the break-in in the owner’s manual. Usually that means low and varied throttle for the first hour, no long runs at full throttle for the first ten hours, and an oil change at the first service. Gentle running at the start helps the motor last.

Keeping the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale Healthy

Small outboards need little, but they need it regularly:

• After every trip: flush, rinse and check the tell-tale stream.
• Before every trip: oil level, fuel, clamp screws.
• Every season: engine oil, gear oil, plug, grease.
• Every two to three seasons: water pump impeller.

Keep a note of hours and services. It helps with warranty and resale.

Keeping the Cooling System Healthy

The tell tale stream is your early warning. If it slows down or stops, the usual causes are a blocked tell tale hole, weed on the water intake, or a worn impeller.

Clear the tell tale with a bit of wire first. If the stream stays weak, the impeller is the next suspect. Plan to change it every two to three years anyway, and carry a spare on long trips. Never run the motor out of the water without a flushing attachment and the water turned on. That is a big part of why people choose the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Why the Anodes Matter

The small metal blocks on the gearcase and bracket are sacrificial anodes. In salt or brackish water they corrode instead of the aluminium housing. That is their whole job.

A quick look each time you flush the motor tells you how they are doing. Swap them when they are worn to about half their size, and keep the contact surfaces clean and bare. A set of anodes costs little next to a pitted gearcase, so keep a spare set with your tools.

Gearcase Oil, Once a Year

Draining the gear oil every season takes about twenty minutes. Lay out a tray, remove the drain screw at the bottom and the vent screw higher up, and let it empty. Owners of the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale tell us the same thing.

Milky or grey oil is a warning sign of water in the gearcase. Metal flakes on the drain screw magnet are another. Refill from the bottom using a pump tube until oil appears at the vent, then refit both screws. Done every year, this little job keeps the gears and bearings in good shape for a long time.

What It Costs to Run

Efficient at cruise thanks to EFI. The 12 litre tank is enough for a good day, or use a bigger tank for long runs.

Beyond fuel, the costs are oil, a few service parts each season and an impeller every couple of years. For a four stroke motor, that is about as cheap as boating gets. It is one of the reasons we keep the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale in stock.

Keep the Fuel Fresh

Buy fuel from a busy station, use it within a month or so and treat it with stabiliser before storage. Water in fuel causes rough running, so keep tanks topped up and closed. A clean fuel filter and fresh fuel solve most problems before they start.

What It Costs to Own

Fuel is the main running cost, and four strokes are frugal. At part throttle a small Tohatsu sips fuel, so a tank lasts a long time.

Servicing is simple and affordable. Oil, gear oil, a plug and an impeller now and then cover most of it. Flush after salt water use and keep fresh fuel in the tank, and the motor will not ask for much more. That is why so many owners keep the same Tohatsu for ten years or more. You get all of that with the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Choosing a Propeller

The right prop lets the motor reach its full throttle range of 5,400 to 6,100 rpm with your normal load. If it over revs, go up in pitch. If it cannot reach the range, come down. Tohatsu lists a 6 to 11.5 inch pitch for this motor. Tell us your boat and load and we will suggest a starting point.

Looking After It in Salt Water

Salt is the main enemy of any outboard. A fresh water flush after every trip, a rinse of the outside and an occasional spray of corrosion inhibitor go a long way. Check the anode and replace it when it is half gone.

Laying It Up

Before a long break, flush the motor, run the carburettor dry or stabilise the fuel, change the engine and gear oil and grease every fitting. Store it upright on a stand, under a cover, in a dry place. Ask us if you want photos of the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale before it ships.

Moving the Motor Around

An outboard stand in the garage makes life easier. For the car, keep the motor upright if you can, strapped so it cannot tip. If you lay it down, use the side Tohatsu specifies. Close the vent and tap first.

Moving It Around

Small Tohatsu motors are light enough for one person to lift, but treat them with a bit of care. Keep the motor upright as much as you can, and when you need to lay it down in the car, use the side shown in the manual so the oil stays where it belongs.

A blanket in the boot stops the cowl getting marked. On a trailer, support the motor or tilt it up and secure it so it does not bounce on rough roads. A cheap wooden stand in the garage makes storage and maintenance much easier. We are happy to answer questions about the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale by email or chat.

Simple Fixes Before You Call a Mechanic

No start: kill switch clip on, vent open, fresh fuel, choke used.

Rough running: stale fuel or a dirty filter.

Overheating: weed in the intake or a worn impeller. The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale handles this well.

Slipping or slow: damaged or wrong prop.

Vibration: bent prop or loose clamp screws.

What to Carry in the Boat

A few spares cover most things that stop a small outboard on the water. A spare plug, a spare kill cord and a basic tool roll are the essentials. Add a spare propeller pin or prop hardware, a small roll of tape and some cable ties. This is where the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale earns its keep.

A second kill cord is the one people wish they had most. If the first one goes over the side with a person or gets lost, the motor will not start without it. Paddles or oars are worth carrying too, even on a short trip.

Carry These on Board

Life jackets, oars, a spare kill clip, a plug spanner and spare plug, basic tools, a bailer and a phone in a dry bag. Small boats can get caught out by wind and tide, so plan for the motor stopping, even though it probably will not.

Kicker and Trolling Use

Many anglers run a small motor as a kicker on a bigger boat. It trolls slower and quieter than the main engine and saves fuel and hours on the big motor. A kicker also gets you home if the main engine fails. Link it to the main steering with a kicker bracket for easy control. Plenty of buyers message us before ordering the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale, and we like that.

Matching the Motor to the Boat

The capacity plate tells you the limit. Within that limit, think about load, distance and water conditions. More power helps with heavy loads and wind. Less power saves weight and fuel. Ask us if you want a second opinion on the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Coming From an Old Two Stroke

A four stroke is quieter, cleaner and uses far less fuel than an old two stroke. There is no oil to mix and no smoke. It is a little heavier, so check how the boat sits. Most owners never look back.

New Versus Second Hand

A used outboard can look like a bargain, but you rarely know its history. Was it flushed after salt water? Was the gear oil ever changed? Has it been dropped or run without water? Those things do not show on the outside.

A new motor comes with a clean history, fresh seals, a factory warranty and a full manual. You run it in yourself, so you know it was done properly. For many buyers that peace of mind is worth the difference in price. Keep that in mind with the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale.

Mistakes We See Buyers Make

Buying the wrong shaft length is the big one. Next is leaving old fuel in the motor over winter. Then storing a four stroke on the wrong side and getting oil into the cylinder. And finally forgetting to tighten the clamp screws. All easy to avoid.

The First Year

Year one is simple: gentle break-in, first service on time, flush after salt, fresh fuel and a proper lay up at the end. Do that and the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale will give you many trouble free seasons.

Shipping and Delivery

The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale ships in its factory box. We book freight to your door or nearest depot, and you get a written quote before paying for shipping. Once it leaves us you get tracking and the export papers your customs office may ask for. If you use your own forwarder, we can hand it to them.

Warranty Notes

The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale comes with Tohatsu factory warranty paperwork. Terms depend on your country and on private or commercial use, so ask us what applies where you are. Keep receipts and a service log.

Serial Number and Registration

Write down the serial number from the bracket label as soon as the motor arrives, and take a photo of it. Keep it with your receipt. You will need it for warranty claims, for ordering the right parts and for insurance.

Some countries need outboards registered or recorded with the boat. Rules differ a lot, so check what applies where you use the boat. A motor lock on the clamp screws is a good idea too, because small outboards are easy to carry away.

What Comes in the Box

• The Tohatsu MFS20ES outboard
• Owner’s manual and warranty papers
• Standard Tohatsu fittings for this model

Fuel tanks, props and accessories vary by version and market. We confirm exactly what is included before shipping.

Before You Order the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale

• Measure your transom to confirm the 15 inch shaft is right.
• Check the boat’s maximum horsepower and weight.
• Decide between manual and electric start.
• Plan your fuel tank and battery if needed.
• Tell us your country for a delivery quote.

Questions now save trouble later, so ask anything.

Buying the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale From Us

Every motor we sell is new and the price is on this page. Before we ship, we give you a delivery quote for your country so you know the full cost. When you order, we confirm the model and shaft length with you. Our refund and return policy and terms and conditions are on the site. You can read what other buyers say on our reviews page, learn more about us page, or go straight to the contact page.

Other Tohatsu Outboards to Compare

• All 20 HP Tohatsu outboards
• Tohatsu MFS20EEFL
• Tohatsu MFS20EEFS
• Tohatsu MFS20EEFTL
• Tohatsu MFS20EEFTS
• Tohatsu MFS20EL
• All Tohatsu outboards
• Suzuki outboards
• The full shop

Our blog has more on looking after outboards, and you can browse the full Tohatsu outboard range on the maker’s own site.

FAQ: Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale

Is the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale new?

Yes. New in the box, with Tohatsu paperwork.

What shaft length is it?

15 inch (S).

How heavy is the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale?

About 43 kg (95 lb) for the base model.

What engine does it have?

4-stroke, 2 cylinder, electronic fuel injection, 333 cc (20.32 cu in).

How does it start?

Manual recoil start.

What fuel tank does it use?

12 L (3.1 US gal) separate tank.

Do you ship the Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale worldwide?

Yes. Send us your location and we will quote delivery.

Does it come with a warranty?

Yes, Tohatsu factory warranty paperwork. Terms depend on your country.

Ready When You Are

The Tohatsu MFS20ES for sale is ready to ship. If you are still deciding, tell us about your boat. We would rather spend a few minutes getting it right than sell you the wrong motor.