Too many amps through the #1 plug wire?

[The Green Lantern]

Hi All,

I have an intermittent won't-start problem with my 97 Escort (2.0L SPI).

It makes a sort of clicking sound while accelerating, and sometimes I can hear it while idling. It sounds a lot like an electric arc. I popped the hood to hear it better and saw the #1 plug wire jumping in time with the clicks. I grabbed it to make sure and I could feel it in the wire.

So I thought maybe the plug wire had gotten loose. I took out the plug (to check it) put it back in (because it looked good and still had good gap), and made sure the wire was clipped on pretty good. I couldn't hear it at idle anymore, but it was loud and clear during accelerations.

How can the #1 wire be getting more current than the other 3 wires? And how can this prevent it from starting every now and then?

Anyone have any ideas about what might be going on here?

Thanks,
Allen

PS: For your detail-oriented pleasure...

Some History:

Recently, for the intermittent won't start: I re-checked all the vacuum lines, replaced a few inches of old with new (including the fuel pressure regulator to intake line). I replaced the fuel filter because it had never been done. I also used Redline's fuel system cleaner in the case that I had some dirty injectors.

Back in December: I had a miss on the #4 cylinder every now and then (based on the code as read by a local mechanic). I could see the coil pack had a crack in it near the #4 plug socket. I replaced it and went ahead and replaced the plugs, plug wires and did a compression check. I got #1 - 180psi, #2 thru #4 - 200psi for compression with 7 cranks each.