Checking my turbo out. I had the turbo sitting on the rear exhaust studs and a dial indicator set on the center of the intake side shaft. Used my finger to push the shaft as far up and down as it would go.

I have .011 of endplay and a little bit of oil burned where hot side bolts down. I'm assuming I'm looking at rebuild or replacement?

 

In my experience, if there is any noticeable endplay on the turbo then you need to start planning for a rebuild. As for your inspection procedure,



I've never seen anything from Mazda but this procedure from Porsche measures shaft play with the dial indicator on the exhaust side only. Of course that's probably just academic. If the turbo burns oil or has noticeable endplay I consider it effectively blown.

 

The guide you posted is essentially what I did. I pushed the shaft as far toward the dial indicator as it would go and noted the reading. Then pushed the shaft away as far as it would go.

I didn't both checking radial play because it has very little movement and I have no signs of the blades making contact with the housings.

The engine detonated and broke one of the apex seals on the front rotor. Before I started the rebuild It was running very poorly. But I couldn't tell how many issues I had or what symptom was caused by what. It wasn't loosing coolant or going through an increased amount of oil. But it did occasionally have smoking exhaust, but I couldn't tell if it was oil or coolant type smoke.

One possible tell-tale sign was I was changing radiator hoses and trying to find a leaking one. I jacked up the front of the car, started it up and got under it to find my leak. The leak was from a clamp on one of the hoses that I didn't tighten enough. BUT.....while the car was up and idling it started blowing a smoke screen of exhaust. I put the car down and drove it around the block and the smoking went away.

In addition to that freak event exhaust did smoke from time to time. But again I couldn't tell if it was sweet like coolant or oily and blueish.