SOMETHING TO NOTE BEFORE PERFOMRING THIS MOD: After performing this mod, you'll have the unfortunate ability to accidently hit the "start" button, activating the starter motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )) while in gear and/or while moving. This could damage your starter or possibly worse. So remember not to hit the start button when the motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )) is already running :)

We seem to take a lot of really short breaks out on the dunes, and I'm tired of having to go back to neutral everytime I restart. So I checked the wiring diagram and decided to make a minor modification so I can start in gear. Obviously, this can be dangerous, so always remember to use your fully functional e-brake.

** - I'm confident this is already documented here somewhere, because it seems like Hoser has covered every tweak, trick, shortcut, and "secret squirrel" modification that anyone could possibly want, but since I wasn't able to find it, here's my version. I found a post or two that described a similar method, but I prefer this one as it doesn't affect the functionality of the indicator lights in the steering wheel. And no cutting of the stock wiring is required! Here goes:

Here's what you'll need: 1 female snap connector, 1 male snap plug, 1 terminal, 1 short piece of wiring (see pic). Build the small "harness" as shown in the attached. Locate the "pale green with red stripe" wire and pull it apart at the snap connector. Plug your newly built harness into the Pilot's female snap connector and let the wire dangle a bit towards the ground between the pipe and the frame, and ground it to the bolt, as shown.

Now take the new female connector and push it over the male snap plug on the Pilot. This will keep the stock wire from accidently shorting out. Even in the event of shorting this wire, it would simply make your neutral light flicker, so no biggy, but you might as well cover it while you're there.

Add a few zip ties to button it all up, and you're done. Just don't forget to use your e-brake.

Very well documented.

Never seen that one before looks good thanks for sharing.

Can you post each individual file so they are larger?

Sure! I had a bit of difficulty figuring out how to post the pics while maintaining the "install" order. I'll try it again with larger images.

EDIT: For some dang reason, my stupid JPGs kept choosing their own order of appearance, regardless of how I uploaded them. Eventually, I changed the quality and size of the JPG's to get them to sort properly. No. 5 and 6 would spring to the top no matter what I did. But I finally got it in the end.

When you add the pics as attachments just start with your number 1 pic then 2 and so on it will display them in that order, if you add pic 6 first it will be at the top of the list

Nice work what software did you use to fade out picture and only show the spot that you wanted

Thanks for sharing

SpeedChaser

I used photoshop on the pictures. If you have it, this effect is rather easy. I can walk you through it if you have photoshop and you're interested!

Thank you for a great detailed post! Does anyone know what wire I would want to tap into to have a yellow light in the rear come on when ever the key is on... WITHOUT dighging into the keyswitch in dash???
It is required and comes in handy when track is dusty? I will use an LED light so the draw won't be much...

Looking at the electrical diagram, the most convenient wire for you is at the reverse light. When the ignition switch is turned on, power is routed to the reverse light. Of course, the reverse light itself doesn't turn on until the transmission is put into gear via a ground activated switch in the tranny, but the +12V power to the light itself is always on as long as the key is turned.

The reverse light has two wires going to it. The gray wire is the switching ground from the transmission, the other wire is a +12V from the ignition switch. Tap this other wire for power for your light, and then ground your light to the chassis. The +12V at the reverse light is listed as a black wire on the wiring diagram. I'm pretty sure you should be fine if you're using low current LED's. If you were using a regular light, you may have needed to wire in a small relay.

However, since this is terribly counter-intuitive (a black wire is +12V on a vehicle?) I'll double check it next time I'm out at the shop. You could also check it yourself with your volt meter.

Thespazardman

Look at the wiring harness from the area of the CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) up to the brake light some place in the harness their is a plug I think its by the mount for the flag you can plug into it their I think it was power for a lighted flag, it under the black tape you will have to unwrap it, its just a little female harness plug.

I will look at mine tomorrow and see if I can find it and take a pic.

You will want the dust light mounted high, you might want to install two of them in case one fails, getting hit from behind at speed is not a good thing.

Something to be careful of, Special Ed recently had an accident starting the Engine in his Taz Car while it was in gear, he was beside it reaching in to start it, it took off and ran over him, he sustained some pretty sever injuries and wound up having an operation that fused several disks in his back. He told me he nearly wound up as a quadraplegic.

If you care about your health, this is one mod you may want to skip.

Damn I didn't hear about that...

Hope he heals quickly...

Crazy Ed needs to sell that damn Taz before it kills him...

Dennis

Ditto!

Sounds like that car has a curse

Get well soon Eddie!

Yeah, I always wondered it might be cursed, lost at least two and might be three engines, wrecked twice, although last time wasn't too bad, cost two grand to fix it after the starting in gear incident.

He told me he thought he had it sold, someone was to come get it this past weekend, I hope it went thru for his sake.

Sorry to hear also. I have not seen him in quite a while. Have him post up Jerry.

Please give him my well wishes!!! I am glad he is going to get better!!!

I have not done this yet because I am still getting used to the pilot! But I do like the idea that I can "unplug" it and return it to normal operations...

All is coming together nicely.. The tazcar is gone, gave it away,, definately had a Demon in it for me..
Jerry was right, I started it in gear as all Tazcars do, throttle was slightly stuck on and away we went.. I had a lot of bruising right away and some soreness but did not go to the hospital for xrays.. 4 weeks later it felt like someone stuck a knife in my neck when I got onto my stomach in bed.. I rolled back over in pain and tried to sleep till 4 am when I could not take it anymore and I went to the ER.. They took MRI and threw me on the operating table to fuse my neck (not my back as Jerry posted) They took out the crushed disk and fused C4 and C5 together then threw a titanium plate on it.. My left thumb is numb and a tingle in my left shoulder, everything else is fine so far. Dr. says maybe the numbness will go away, time will tell..
I still have the pilot and will keep it until I can convince the boys that we need to sell everything.. That said, I just bought my youngest son, 14, a 2001 YZ 125 today in awesome shape for 1000. It was the price more than he needed it that made me buy it.. I have his YZ 85 to sell now..
Thanks for the well wishes, I sure would skip that neutral override if I were all of you.. A little more time saves health and it sure could have been a lot worse.. 5000 to fix the neighbors garage that finally stopped it, 2000 to fix teh tazcar AGAIN, and 1500 to replace the wheelchair I was flattened with..
Eddy

Damn Ed, glad your are going to OK, sounds like it damned near killed you. I'll be back in Cheyenne all next year so.... we will have to get some riding together in somewhere. Call if you need anything,

Gary

PS Just waiting for the wheels to fall off that Bronco train...they always do! LOL

And tell us all how the Chiefs are doing, I haven't been keeping up with the losers records.

Oh Man, that is wrong... You start jabbing a guy who's team is 3 games above the next team and the chefs are no where to be seen, and I have a sore neck.. Damn it dude, I love you man...

Its a rebuilding year...or 3. lol We gotcha 2 of the last 4 games. If they are that good and we are that bad, you should beat us by 30 each game. Wanna wager a beer a point over both games? I'll even let you help me drink my winnings!

Gary

Now that sounds like a NO LOSE situation.. I get to watch the Broncos put on a butt whippin while drinking beer and I bet you have some wild meat you've had processed for munchin'..... That should kill any pain my neck has and your heart will have...!

It should be interesting to see the year unfold, 6 and 0 is a start that no one expected, the 'smart money' had them finishing 6 and 10, they still could but it is not looking that way now.

Baltimore it next, the are 3 and 3, that is just the kind of team that is likely to upset them. Who know from there, start could be a fluke or they may be for real, in any event, we are going to enjoy it while we can.

Montana is a long way to collect my winnings.....

I'll be back before the second meeting with KC (early Jan). True, its a long season and you never know who will get hurt, what team get hot at what time. Right now, my money is on the Saints to win the superbowl over the Colts...but that way down the road. Kinda hoping they do, I would like to see some fresh teams in there.