Cured (hopefully), but weirdly!
As part of the original diagnostics, I had pulled the #1 spark plug wire/boot and spark plug. The plug was dry. I didn't pull the wire/boot from any of the other three plugs.
Well, the new coils arrived, and they installed more easily than taking the old ones out. Then it was time to start the engine. And it wouldn't -- cranked but no cylinders firing. Quit trying after about ten seconds. Then tried again and slowly various cylinders started firing, and then enough to let off the starter. Ran poorly, but was obviously clearing out the cylinders.
But it still ran poorly -- better than before, but still putting out the exhaust. Ran like maybe only one instead of two cylinders were not firing. No new error codes.
Figured maybe I had damaged the wire for #1, and remembered that I had an in-line spark tester that had never been used before (!). But it showed #1 was firing fine (ran the same), so checked #2, it was firing correctly too.
But now I got a CEL, and the code was for #4! Pulled its boot and installed the tester, started the engine, and it now ran smoothly! :surprise
I looked closely at the #4 wire/boot, and there is an obvious fresh spark-leak out the side where it attaches to the top of the spark plug. The #1 wire/boot looks fine.
The wire set is a Bosch 09475 with a LTW, but I had mail-ordered it and no one stocks it locally. Ran to the local parts store and got an NGK 8916 set -- hate the blue, but the set fits better than the Bosch. And the engine starts and runs fine.
So ... what do you think? Again, originally I had #1 and #4 no-spark, then after the new coil packs then only #4. So the packs were good, and #4 caused #1 not to fire too? Or I'm guessing the new coil pack(s) produced a hotter spark that blew out a weak spot in the #4 wire? But that still doesn't explain the long cranking to finally get the engine running again (battery was not disconnected; full gas tank).