Advanced Engine Monitoring
Digatron's DT-53K Engine Monitoring and Data Acquisition System
Article and Photos by Greg Terzian
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The Digatron DT-53K "Max" head unit with new flame graphics.  The unit features a rugged aluminum case.

The dashboard instruments in your boat are one of the most important guides you have in determining your engine and boat's operating condition.  Faulty or inaccurate gauges can  not only cost you performance, they can result in engine damage.  While standard instruments such as tachometers, speedometers,  and temperature gauges have come a long way in the last twenty years, so have the options to the pleasure boater and racer.

For most applications, standard analog gauges will provide adequate engine monitoring performance.  Serious performance boaters and racers will want more accuracy and something relatively new to the arena of performance boating - data acquisition instruments.

Rear view of DT-53K showing sensor connections and mounting studs. Note Time Event and Engine Max buttons on the side of the unit.

What is data acquisition?  Basically, it is the instrument's ability to accurately monitor, record, and store information that is acquired during use.  This isn't a simple 'recall' of top speed or maximum RPM - it's a detailed report from multiple sensors that record exhaust gas temperature, rpm, speed, and lap times.  This record can be viewed as a graph and printed out via a PC interface for an overall picture of vehicle and engine performance.  Graphed performance reports can then be overlaid and compared for a complete picture of engine performance and the effectiveness of modifications and fine tuning.  This has clear advantages to the advanced tuner or racer, will be of particular advantage to those who will upgrade to the advanced fuel delivery control that the Brucato Pro Control Unit offers.  It should also be noted that Brucato Machine and Tool is now a dealer for Digatron data acquisition systems, and they can offer additional setup and tuning information specifically for high performance boating applications.

Digatron has been producing digital monitoring systems for over 30 years for a variety of applications including race cars, snowmobiles, ATVs, and boats.  These highly adaptable systems can be adapted to almost any application that uses an internal combustion engine, 2-stroke or 4-stroke.  Digatron also manufactures custom sensors to suit these varied applications.  These units are no secret to outboard drag racers and hardcore performance enthusiasts, however, data logging digital instruments have yet to make a good showing into the mainstream.

Close-up of rear panel coaxial sensor ports.

For this two-part series, we'll be looking at the Digatron DT-53K "Max" unit.  The 50-series data acquisition systems represent Digatron's most advanced monitoring systems, capable of data logging, timing, and data download capability.  Our unit features a "three face" design, with one large and two smaller backlit LCD screens.

For our application, we'll be using the DT-53K as a digital tachometer and dual EGT (exhaust gas temperature) instrument.  With its data logging ability and digital accuracy, this unit will be a perfect marriage when we install and test our Brucato PCU on a Mercury analog EFI system.  Before we go any further, let's look at some of the basic features of the Digatron DT-53K:

Page Two: Digatron DT-53K In-Depth