Missfire cyclinder 1 - 2000 Volkswagen Golf

You are going to need to borrow some tools or go out and buy some to run some quick tests. If the misfire is in cylinder 1 ONLY, the easiest thing to do is to check spark, (spark plug tester).

1. Put the spark tester into the plug wire and have someone crank it over. Make sure the plug tester is grounded to the block or some metal bracket, otherwise you could damage your coil. IF you don't have spark it could be due to a bad ignition coil. If you have spark at the wire and not the plug then you have a bad plug. IF you have spark coming from the coil wire but not the spark plug wire then you have a bad spark plug wire.
2. If you see there is spark, the next step is to pull the plug out and test the plug itself. Plug the spark plug into the wire you just tested and pull the fuse (or relay) for the ignition or fuel pump. This will keep the car from starting, but will still allow you to see if the plug is firing.
3. Also check the plug to see what condition it is in. Has the car been serviced recently, check all of the things that have had serviced.
4. If you have spark the next thing is compression test. Screw in the compression tester to the spark plug hole in the head. Crank over the engine 3 times. Read the specification and look it up to see what the specification should be. Anything between 115-150 should be acceptable. IF you have any doubts test other cylinders to see what they are running.
5. The last thing is to check for fuel, that is if you have found spark and compression. Locate the fuel injection port, on some VW models they are not used so consult a service guide if you're not sure.