I'm having some problems with my Avenger. First the little problem. My driver's side door handle keeps breaking. This is the second time I've had to replace the door handle. Sure it's been four years since I bought the car, but I didn't drive it in 2005 while I was in Korea. Does anyone know if there are door handles out there that hold up longer? My next problems are a bit more serious. I have this grinding noise in my transmission. I can only hear it in the mornings when the car is still cold, and sometimes I can hear it if I keep the car in neutral and rev the engine around 3,000 rpms. It is most noticable in the mornings though. When I push in on the clutch it stops, when the car gets warmed up it stops. I had the clutch replaced about two years ago when the noise first started and it hasn't gone away, even with the new clutch. My father-in-law said the clutch needed to be adjusted. My platoon sergeant said I needed a new clutch plate. Can anyone help me out? My last problem really has me worried. Several days ago I replaced the spark plugs in my Avenger. I pulled out the number 3 plug wire from the left side (driver's side) and it was covered in oil. I looked down where the spark plug was and there was a small pool of oil where the plug was. I've been told several different problems so far. I was told that I crossthreaded the spark plug, I was told that I needed to replace the head gasket, and my father-in-law told me that I cracked the head and I need to make it someone else's problem. This is my first car and I'm still in love with it the same as the day that I drove off the lot with it. If anyone can help me with this problem I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

Welcome to DF Maynard.
I'll try and address a few of the issues for you. I have an I4 also, but it's not the same I4, though in theory they should do the same thing.
Ok, "oil in the cylinder"...I'm going to say that you need a new valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals...no, you don't need the valve cover gasket at this time, but you will when you try and replace the tube seals, lol. Also, look at the plug tube, does it have oil around it? Is there oil on the upper portion of the plug? Quick question, do you have oil in your coolant and vice versa? Look in your resevoir or even your filler neck for the coolant side and check your oil dip stick on the oil side.
Grinding noise...syncros?, slave cylinder needs to be adjusted?, pedal clearance? If you got the clutch changed and it still made the noise, I'm going to assume it wasn't that. Check your tranny fluid, make sure it's not dark and it doesn't have metal flakes mixed in with it (most likely will since you grind). I say get it rebuilt, by the time a tech finds what's ailing it, you've practically spent enough to have bought a built tranny.
The reason it is louder on cold starts is because the tranny fluid hasn't warmed up enough to lube all the gears and the remaining fluid that sticks to them isn't enough. Now multiply that a few times when the fluid has broken down enough to only provide minimal protection/lubrication. The warm up time is normal for all cars...just not the grinding noise.
As for the door handles RedefinedRides makes an aluminum door handle for our cars, the link is in the sticky I made up top. The quality also depends on where you get these plastic door handles, two is one too many times to break them in less than 5 years IMO. You might be too "hard" on them when you open the door? I don't know and I'm not saying that you are since I'm not there when it happens. It could be that you just bought a quality door handle that was made and finished on a Friday 30 minutes before party time