Should a factory Garrett turbo have shaftplay?

[QC DSM ESiT]

I picked up a Garrett turbo from a person that said it was perfectly good. When I got it I went to see if the compressor blade had any shaftplay. It has some shaftplay but I was also told that the bearings are oil floating bearings. So when it has no oil or anything in it should it have shaftplay? I take it that if what the person told me is true then it will have just about no shaft play once there is some oil in it, correct?

[1 bad day]

turbos are allowed to have shaft play...it is not a bad thing....unless it is extreme. Is it side to side? in and out? do the fins ever touch the sides?

[guyd_15]

I think it's allowed .005-.008 shaft play, to allow for the oil clearance. I think that's what I remember.

What, I just measured a brand new TO4E lateral play at the compressor shaft .006. In and out play none.
Guy

[QC DSM ESiT]

It has side to side and up and down play just a little bit. It has no in and out play and the compressor never touches the housing or the sides. The compressor blade spins with no restrictions.

[BadAssPerformance]

All turbos tend to have a little shaft play when they are dry... read: no oil pressure floating the shaft on the bushing/bearing.

[tryingbe]

That turbo sounds fine.


This is what happen if somebody ship a turbo without having the compressor housing bolted onto the turbo.