2017 Tohatsu 20 HP MFS20DL Outboard Motor

The 2017 Tohatsu MFS20DL drops electric start for a manual pull cord, eased by a decompression device built into the 20 hp, twin-cylinder, 351cc engine. It keeps the 20-inch long shaft and tiller steering of the rest of the family, aimed at the same mid-size to larger aluminum boats, skiffs, and heavier sailboats as its electric-start siblings.

Manual start, with a charging option later

Since there's no electric starter, this version has no alternator fitted as standard; Tohatsu lists a 145-watt alternator as an installable option if you want charging capacity down the line, rather than it coming built in from the factory. That keeps the MFS20DL lighter and simpler than the electric-start versions in the same lineup.

Fuel and fit

An externally mounted gas tank sized at 3.1 gallons, with a quick-connect fuel line, comes with the motor, joined in the box by an aluminum propeller and, separately, a printed manual and parts kit. The rated top end spans 5,400 to 6,100 rpm, and the 20-inch shaft needs to match your transom.

Q: Can I add electric start later? The listing only confirms an alternator can be installed as an option; confirm with us what else that conversion involves, including wiring and a starter motor, before planning on it.

Tohatsu's 5-year warranty applies to the MFS20DL. Being the simplest version in the carbureted 20 hp range, it's also the one with the fewest electrical parts to trouble-shoot if something ever goes wrong out on the water.

Specifications