1982 gl 1100 missing help appreciated

[Darkshadow87]

Hey everyone first of all new member thanks for adding me to this group lots of good info on here. My 82 gl 1100 has a miss I have found out what makes it quit missing. But don't know what I need to buy or how to fix it. Its #1 cylinder missing with the plug cap snapped down but if you unsnap the cap and just sit it on top of the plug it goes away and the miss is gone. Is that a sign of coil going bad? New plugs about 3 weeks ago so they should still be good. napa sells bulk wiring to make your own plug wires cheap thought of trying that but thought I would try this first so Im not just throwing money at it I don't need to. also I changed the plug cap from cylinder#4 to #1 to see if the cap was bad problem stayed on cylinder#1 suggestions would be appreciated.

[Rambozo]

I would swap the plug with another cylinder just to be sure. Creating a gap between the cap and the plug will raise the voltage.

[DenverWinger]

Quite possibly a bad cap. A tiny crack or carbon track allowing the spark to snap where it's not supposed to and when lifted that "wrong" path is not so good.

A new set of caps not that expensive, and easy to change. I had to replace all four of them on my '80.

[ct1500]

What happens when pulling a plug wire partially off is a build up of voltage in the coil when the spark does not have its usual easy path to ground. When a cylinder fires better with a plug wire partially removed it is almost always due to a fouled plug. The normal firing voltage cannot give a good or hot enough spark through the carbon at the plug electrodes. Remove that number 1 plug and check for fouling which turns the electrodes black, a fouling condition is caused by a too rich mixture and needs correcting. If black, clean in a suitable abrasive plug cleaner or just replace and retest. If engine skip is still present then OHM out plug wires or simply swap two front plug wires side to side and see if the problem follows to other side in which case the plug wires should be replaced.

[OldguyGlen]

+1 ^^^ Fouled plug. This is a very common problem on older 2-strokes, which were notorious for fouled plugs. Just lifting the plug cap and resting lightly on the plug would get us home with minimum inconvenience. Swap plugs. Even if it's new.

[Darkshadow87]

Replaced plug and running better but wires are arching and shock my hand when I lift the cap off. At the end of the wire cover that protects the jacket on the wire if I put my finger there you can see and feel a tiny spark going to my finger. Turned all the lights out and sprayed water but didn't see and sparks from doing that. Going to napa and get me some bulk wire and see if replacing just the wire will make the arching stop. I think the stock wire size is 7mm. I see and there site they sell 7.5mm wire would it hurt or help to go up on the wire diameter or should I stick to the stock size?