No Spark, #4 Spark Plug, 98 Camry, front coil pack Options

[onodessa]

The wife's 1998 Camry was running fine until the other day it started sputtering. It has 270 k miles on it and the plugs, wires, and timing belt were all changed last year. It's been smelling recently like it has been burning oil so I pulled the plugs out and put new ones in. It still sputtered so I pulled one plug wire off at a time while it was idleing and the #4 plug had no affect on the idle. My question is can only one side of a coil go bad? I ordered the front coil pack today and I'm assuming it has to be the issue since all the other plugs are working. I do have the thought of the cam position sensor. Anyone have an idea on this? It can get very expensive just buying a few parts and being wrong. I've checked coil packs on a buick by pulling the cables off and looking for spark between the posts. Anyone know if this can be done on a Camry with no harm? Thanks.

[onodessa]

Last night I pulled the #4 plug wire slightly from the coil and had the son-in-law turn the car over in the dark. There was plenty of fire, so I plugged the wire back in and had him start the car. There was spark jumping between the two wires on that coil. Today I will buy new plug wires and see if that fixes it. It is disapointing that the new wires I put on it last year would be bad already. They are half the price of a coil though.