About 3wks ago my car started to idle badly and smoke badly below 2000rpm. It has gotten progressively worse... I also had what I thought was an exhaust leak. So I tore the turbos and down pipe off and inspected all the gaskets and made sure all the bolts were tight...they were. So then a buddy of mine told me that it could be from the intake manifold gasket because exhaust runs through one of the ports... So I was hoping my exhaust leak may be the cause for the smoke and bad idle. But I just talked to a Mazda guru @ Ground Zero in Portland OR and he said my symptoms sounds like a cracked apex seal So...what are my options, does this sound like a cracked apex to anyone else..and can I just tear the motor apart and replace the apex seal??? thanks for help!

 

tough to say, do a compression test to find out for sure.

 

Compression test simple, and effective

 

If it is an apex seal, it's a little harder than just tearing it down to replace one seal.

 

do u have any vacuum readings that u can sure with us?