BUKU PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS

www.bukupower.com

Written By: John Helton


Product: Tuned Pipe for Big Block engines (Small Block pipes are also available)
Price: $109.00 all


All I can say is Dave did a great job on these pipes. First lets start with a pic of the product.



Dave goes into great detail on his website with animations and technical info that is very eye pleasing and easy to understand. He took his time to do the website and to make a very good product. In talking to him I learned of the tests that he did on the bench and in the field. The amount of time he took into the pipe and website cannot be overlooked. We did have preproduction instructions with ours (O yes Lifter32 and ]-[0pa]0ng are reviewing the pipes on there RBs and an RB modded STS.30DM). The book you get (10 plus pages) was very nicely written. When Dave says don't do something in them he doesn't just say you will hurt the engine he explains why. The directions were easy to read and didn't make me tired. That's a plus. It was very to the point and not overly technical. Even I understood what to do and not to do.

The pipe has several components and this is all of them broke down.



The packaging may have a different look to it when you get yours and a few less parts. Not to worry just 2 less springs.
The pipe and all components have a nice finish and had very clean edges. There were no burs or cuts in the tooling areas. The inside looked just as clean as the outside. On the Big Block pipe the only part that moves is the cone it's self you do not have the entire inner tube like in the animations.






With the pipe installed on the savage it looks good. it is a smaller pipe and if you use the supplied pipe holder cut the end off and bend a 45 and 90 in it. That's it, worked great. You can use the stock rubber header coupler or the one piece header with retention springs. The only things I didn't like were the placement of the Header retention spring landing holes. Headers have different hole locations and my STS header didn't line up. I used my Hot Bodies header and all is right. The other thing is the wrench. If you put to much pressure on the wrench it will bend. This may be a good thing so you do not damage the pipe.








Testing will be done on my wounded but still running Sure Fire .32R ( the bottom end has been hurt ) and my OS30 VG. Both have 4+ gallons in them and still run like Little champs. The temps here are running mid 80s and we are 150' plus off of sea level. The first tests will be with the Sure Fire to see if it can be reborn on the bottom end.

Test Equipment:
1 abused and loving it Savage X SS
1 Sure Fire .32R
1 OS30VG
30% O'Donnell racing fuel
OS8 glow plug

To start I went with the spring and cone that came in the pipe on the Sure Fire. I tuned the truck and following the instructions tuned the pipe. The Sure Fire responded to the tuning like a champ. It helped pull some of the low end out of the grave and I can actually say it changed the entire power band. I then started to try different springs and cone combinations. This is easy to do because you don't have to pull the pipe to change anything. Just unscrew the cap and off you go. I am surprised at all the setting you have. You can tune for play, short tracks, long tracks any combination. This is a real kick in the pants with the Sure Fire. The JP pipes have nothing on this pipe. Like Dave says it's all three pipes in one. This is no lie or just to make a nice post to help Dave out for handing out a pipe. Anyone who says it doesn't work hasn't run one. I will put up picks and video as soon as possible of both engines. The Sure Fire started quicker, got on pipe quicker at lower temps and just all around screamed. The power band is so wide now that I would say if you have the older Sure Fire put this pipe on it and it will help with the motor falling on it's face on the top end. As for the Sure Fire .32R it just makes it better all around. The learning curve with this pipe isn't that bad and if you follow the directions you will not have a problem. One thing to keep in mind. You will see a rise in temps a little do to the motor working harder. But if you stay where you engine runs the best it will not be an issue.

With the OS.30VG my jaw hit the floor. Using the heavy spring and large cone the speed increase was there but more so the kick in the pants the engine had when working the throttle. It used to be if I hit the throttle the truck would just flip. You had to roll into it. Not now, if I blip the throttle the truck will flip over or do a sky wheelie. But, if I hammer the gas the truck launches smooth as can be. The wheels stay about 2 to 3 inches off the ground in 1st and 2nd gear. Sometime it will hold it into third. Then the truck will sit down on the front wheels and down the road it goes. Had nice wheel to wheel endo mishap (stupid truck) and the pipe did take a very hard blow on the road. All I saw were a few scratches on it and my Nova head. Not going to be able to buff that out. I love the power band and I don't want to try any more combinations. It drives so well but I must. I might even find one that I like better. The truck was so responsive to the throttle commands and at least for me it had a little more in it if I tuned for a higher temp. The OS.30 used to get on pipe at about 212 to 215 F. The truck with the Buku pipe got on pipe and was strong at 180 F. As the temps came up it got better and better. I actually hit 270 F at one point but the engine wasn't over leaned. I still had smoke and there was no bogging or popping from the engine. I backed off a hair to get back to 230F and I am happy with that temp and performance.

These are some action pics. It is very hard to show what the truck is doing with stills. But nice 2nd gear wheelies are a part of it.




The pipe is so awesome in the entire rpm band with the OS30 and the now very hurt SF.32. Not to worry no crank damage and this is after 6 Gal. of fuel in it.




I can already say this with a fact. My twin will be running two of these pipes. That is in stone. This is my rating for the pipe.

Tuning: 9
Maintenance: 10
Value: 10
Directions: 8
Quality: 9
Durability: 9
Performance: 10

Hits
1) One pipe to replace all your pipes that you have laid down money for.
2) As just stated one pipe that has great over all performance you don't need to spend money on a bunch of different pipes which aren't cheap.
3) Easy to tune and perform maintenance on.
4) A number of accessories to help with your type of engine.

Misses
1) Directions as we do not have the final cut of them to look at.
2) So many tuning options you could have a tuning overload ( you could spend all day trying different combos and not play )
3) This isn't a miss but an idea. With the directions maybe add a log book. There are so many options with this pipe you might want to write it down. I need to do this!
4) need more holes for header springs.

Videos and action pics to come.

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What the hell is the internet?!

Wow I learned allot from reading your review .. I never heard about these pipes until now. thanks for the info about them .. can't wait to hear more thanks john

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I've Never Seen A Pipe That U Can "tune" Yourself Thats A Great Idea!!! Everyone Seems To Want Something Different Performance Wise So This Pipe Would Please almost Everyone!! And great job megabyteme presenting it!! as sj said it was easy to follow and the "workings" of this pipe were explained well!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic pipe.

nice job mega

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Thanks for the review - VERY well done!

This pipe is now on the "must have" list!

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Real nice review mega.The pipe realy is what he says.I have one and wouldnt use another pipe again.You just cant beat the all around adjustability and proformance.

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www.bukupower.com

Buku review by lifter

I am sure everybody has read Megabyteme’s review on the Buku. He

explained everything down to a science. On my review I tested the Losi 427

For the first motor I tested, the Losi 427. Pretty decent motor for a RTR

motor, tested in my savage x4.6rtr. I was running the Losi HT pipe on it,

which I thought was pretty powerful when I first got it. Then I put the

jammin JP3 pipe on, man what a difference. I thought it was the best pipe in

the world. Then Megabyteme sent me a Buku pipe. Well, I switched the pipes

out. I richened the HSN a quarter turn and richened the LSN a quarter turn.

I ran the spring and convergent cone that was already installed. I retuned

the motor and then started tuning on the pipe. The pipe ran great right out

of the box. But after experimenting with the other springs and the other

convergence cone. I found my best setup was with the heaviest spring and

the bigger convergent cone. I really got unreal bottom end grunt with a hard

pulling midrange. Remember, I am running a losi 427rtr motor in my savage


I ran the BUKU in the savage at the Halloween bash at the diggers dungeon.

The BUKU is a great pipe. I ran it all weekend without a flaw. I jumped 45ft. 8

in. But just out of bounds in the long jump. Could have been great if I was a

little straighter. Oh well that’s racing. Here are a few pics of the pipe and

truck it will rezide in.





I am getting ready to buy another BUKU for my LST2 I am running the JP-3

on it now.

I was going to test the RB Concepts 928 with the BUKU pipe but the

unfortunate happened. I split the connecting rod right up the middle at the

Halloween Bash.

On to the next engine. The LRP spec3 .28. Let me tell you guys something

before I get started. This combo(LRP-BUKU) makes ungodly power. The most

I have ever seen. Lets get started, remember I was running the Losi 427

engine with the BUKU pipe all the way up to the Nov. 10th race at Debbies.

The weekend before I had bought an LRP for my LST2. I broke it in and only

got a total of 5 tanks through it. The motor only requires 4 tanks for break

in. On the 5th tank I was tuning on it and really loved the power output. So

the following weekend at Debbies I decided to fit another LRP and the BUKU

in the savage before the race. Me and the team pitched in and got it in and

just about broke in before I had to race. Three tanks is what I had through

it. The difference was unbelievable. I had my savage set up for racing,

keeping all four wheels on the ground, especially on take off. Well that went

to pieces at the race. Every time I hit the throttle. I would be on my lid.

Definitely would not call it a racer anymore. All I could do is roll the throttle

and hope for the best. The BUKU setup I had on the 427 was dialed perfect

for that motor. With the same setup on the BUKU with the LRP was just plain

ignorant out of the hole. It would literally leap in the air on to its lid in the

blink of an eye. I took first place with the Lst in the long jump with 35ft. and

there is no doubt in my mind that I could have flew the savage past the LST

with no problem. Way more power with the BUKU but rode a wheelie all the

way to the ramp. I have since been tuning on the BUKU and got it pretty

close. I actually went with a lighter spring and one ring. Staying down pretty

nice now. I will tell you this, the LST2 is crazy fast but still has no business

with my BUKU savage. I will be updating regularly on the BUKU and how it

does when I get a final tune on it and after the dec.8th race. Here is a short

vid of the savage with the LRP and BUKU on the 6th tank.

http://www.mediafire.com/?fwzrbzl0l9v

good job on the review lifter. you put alot of detail about the motor, pipe and tunning it is very informative.

I can't play the file for the LRP/buku. What program plays a VOB file?

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I could have bought like 3 savages for what I've put into this one!

Try real player

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