Jerking when Initially Pressing Gas Pedal

[Wildthings]

Check both the lead going from the negative side of the coil to the ignition points and the ground wire inside the distributor to make sure they pass electricity as vacuum is applied to the advance can. Also verify that your points are properly adjusted. If the points are barely opening it can cause the problems you are seeing. Note that I don't think any '78 GE engines came with electronic ignition, but could be wrong here. Also note the Bosch points are very crappy and will often snap off the wear block at very low miles, making it so the points will barely open if they open at all. The wear block and the cam inside the distributor MUST be lubed or point life will be very short.

[AshC]

[Wildthings]

[Jbarnestennis]

I believe mine has hydraulic lifters. Should I take a picture of the inside of the distributor or just the distributor in general? Yes I think I will start with the tsII. When I first started trying to get it running, the TSII was an issue so I bought a new one. I honestly have never touched the points so I will check that too. Obviously will check grounds and everything. But this engine came out of a ‘78. The GE code I’m getting is on the fan shroud and actually now looking through my pictures, the block is GD. Who knows!

[brownbus2]

Does the engine miss a bit and also slightly backfire? Mine did that..I went through everything up top etc. , changed fuel filter etc. still did it...fuel tank was rusting inside.

Not saying its that but check that filer for rust or rusty-colored fuel.

Mine runs great now...if i\I could just figure out my reverse (or lack thereof) problem
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formerly known as Brown_Bus
1976 FI Marino Yellow Westy

[Jbarnestennis]

[AshC]

[Jbarnestennis]

Here are pictures of the distributor

[SGKent]

do check the plug wires at night with a light mist on them. See if they are arcing to the tin or haloing.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Wildthings]

Turn your engine over by hand until the points are open to their maximum. They will likely have some pitting so can't be checked accurately with a feeler gauge, but they should open about 0.016-0.020 inches from closed.

If you are unfamiliar with these old engines, then getting hold of a copy of John Muir's Idiot Book and doing some bathroom reading would serve you well.

[Jbarnestennis]

[Jbarnestennis]

[SGKent]

the gap will be its largest when it is on one of the lobes. You need to pick up some distributor lobe grease from one of the auto parts near you, then smear about the amount of half the size of a pea or kernel of corn on the distributor lobe as best you can. Pick up a feeler gauge set too it you don't have one.

Report back to us when that is accomplished, anyone of us can explain from there.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[nemobuscaptain]

There are fairly cheap combination electrical multimeter, tach, dwells available today. I always carried a meter, so it takes up no extra space now.

I always double check the point gap measuring dwell now.

I think it was this, but it might have been actron.

https://www.amazon.com/BTMETER-Automotive-Multimet...r_1_1_sspa
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[Wildthings]

If you are heading to NAPA pick up a new set of Echlin ventilated contact points while you are there.

To get the wear block at the top of the lobe, you want to turn your engine by hand not with the starter.

Most people with experience prefer to remove the distributor to replace and adjust the points. Just unclip the (usually green) wire from the coil to the distributor, remove the 8M nut (13mm wrench size) from the distributor hold down bracket and lift the distributor out, Do NOT loosen the long 10mm (wrench size) clamping nut. The distributor should just pick right out, but occasionally will be troublesome. Note the direction the rotor is pointing, and do not remove the plug wires from the cap and set the cap aside with just the coil wire removed.

[Jbarnestennis]

So it seems like fixing the gap worked. I went and bought the gap measuring tool and put the gap at .45mm as recommended by the Bentley. However, now it seems to jerk when I’m in gear and not touching the gas. Usually when I’m going slow and in 1st and 2nd. I’ve heard from some people that older VW’s were kind of jerky through the gears, so maybe it’s just common, but it wasn’t doing this before. Odd!

[SGKent]

did you check the timing when you were done?
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Jbarnestennis]

[mikedjames]

A long shot is a wire running from the main loom across the engine coming loose : the jerk is as the engine twists slightly as it accelerates, the wire disconnects momentarily and momentarily cuts the ignition.
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Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy