I'm planning on buying a 1990 mazda cosmo. I got it inspected and the techs told me that the turbo's are leaking. I've been told that all turbo's for mazda's leak due to lubrication. I just want to make sure I'm buying a decent car and not having to rebuild the turbo. any advice

 

Leaking what?

Oil?
Air?

Turbos leaking oil is bad. Usually they are so hot that they burn oil, but when you start it up if it is leaking oil your bushings are going out. Characterized (just like engines) by blue smoke. If the leak is good enough, you will burn through quarts of oil which is no good for cars.

Leaking air I guess could be ok, (I mean kind of a waste). I cannot think of anything else that would be leaking from a turbo. But since turbos are oiled, it is bad to leak oil from them. Turbo rebuild time for that car.

Of course I am just speaking turbos in general. I am new to Mazda (my turbo doesn't leak) Maybe there is something about that turbo that makes it ok (oh yeah it happens to everyone kind of thing), but I would not buy a car with a turbo leaking oil.

 

i've had many rx7 twin turbos and sooner or later they leak a little oil at the turbos.no problem