New Goodies are here!!!

[Tate]

Got my Kooks Long Tubes and catted X-pipe delivered today. It's like Christmas when you have goodies waiting at your house for you to get off of work. Any one got any good install pointer you would care to share? The directions they sent are O.K. at best. I went with the 1 7/8" headers because I know how I am and will probably do a cam within the next 6 months or so. I'll install these tomorrow and post up my after vs. before install opinions then. Until then here are some pics for ya'.
Tate
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders002.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders001.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders003.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders004.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders005.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders006.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders007.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders008.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders009.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders010.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders011.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders012.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders013.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders014.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders015.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders016.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders017.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders018.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w65/Compg/2008%20G8%20GT/G8GTHeaders019.jpg

[GRRRR8]

Congrats Tate! I take you are using the stock muffs too. Someone will be smiling soon!

[Mike P]

Headers are awesome, your going to love them!

[g8_795]

I also had my set of LT's waiting for me when I got off work yesterday. Removed MF setup yesterday. Starting on the install this morning. Use some penetrating oil to get the O2 sensors out. I had to learn the hard way.
-Robert

[MtbDoc]

Very nice! These and the ARH's both look real good...and I like the idea of running stock mufflers. Loud cars are fun (my GTO has straight-through mufflers after the turbos) but this car is different. I don't get much cockpit sound in the GTO (which is a quiet car AND I added a bunch of sound insulation when I did the audio) but anyone that hears it knows it is a nasty bit of machinery. Keeping the G8 a sleeper sedan is part of the charm.

[-Ray-]

Looks great.

[Tate]

Well did the install today and it took about 5 hours from start to finish. The directions are O.K. at best. I got my a$$ kicked trying to get the cats installed then lined up with the x-pipe per the directions. I said screw it after about 30 minutes and took the cat pipes off again and mounted them to the x-pipe then reinstalled it all together and it worked like a charm.
The pipes are rubbing on the cross member so in the next day or so I'm gonna extend that down an inch or so for clearance, when I recheck my bolts for tightness. At idle the car is just about as quite as stock, but when you get on it you definitely know its there. Seat of the pants is much more power in the mid to upper RPM range.
I also got the check engine light on because of the cats flowing better, it will probably be about a week or so until I get the tune. Can we use anti-fowlers on the rear O2 sensors to get a closer to stock reading so it doesn't throw a check engine light? I know a lot of people in the W-body world do this until they can get a tune. If so where can I get them and does anyone have a clue how they go in/where.
Definitely a worthy mod for anyone who wants much more power and more sound vs. stock without going to loud.
Tate

[GeorgeInNePa]

Instead of dropping the cross-member that much, raise the pipes.

Get under there and loosen up all the joints. Then put a pry bar between the cross-member and the x-pipe and push up, either brace the pry bar up or have someone tighten the clamps and joints while you keep the pressure on it.

[Tate]

I added the spark plug anti fowlers to the rear O2 sensors today and no more check engine light now. They come two in a pack you will need two packs (4 total) to do the job. These need to be the 18mm ones. All of $8 worth of parts at autozone, found in the "Help" isle of parts. Disconnect the battery while doing this, one for safety and two so it will clear out the code. Take one of the anti fowlers and drill the inside out with a 1/2" bit all the way through. Place the O2 sensor in that one, then screw it into the second anti fowler. Screw the entire assembly into the O2 bung welded right behind the cat. Repeat on the opposite side. Make sure your using anti seize on all connections to ease in the future if you need to remove something.
Tate