Shaft play - is turbo ruined or can I rebuild?

[ehc14]

Basically exactly as the title states... I have a turbo (I got second-hand for free) that has a little shaft play. When I push the compressor turbine back and forth it wiggles just a little bit. The turbo is still installed on my friends old car and haven't picked it up yet so I can't answer much more to what I know but I've heard that if there's shaft play the turbo is either a)ruined, or b) in need of a rebuild. Also, I don't know specifically what kind of turbo it is. He claims it's a t3 but idunno. The car has also been sitting for a year or more so I don't know if the lack of oil running through it may effect it?

 

[92AWDHX40]

You wont know until you get it and run it, its possible it may need a rebuild get it first then install it and go from there.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Axial is okay no worries on a journal bearing turbo unless you can see cm scratches where the, turbo touched the housing. In and out play means a rebuild is needed.

 

[Boostdriven]

If it sat for a year mostly there isn't any oil left in the bearing so you will get more shaft play then usually when the turbo is in constant use. When you get the turbo look at the heat shield cover behind the exhaust wheel to see if there is a lot of carbon build up and see if it has any oil residue there. If there isn't much build up chances are it still might be good. Also check if the wheels rub on the housings when you push the shaft against one side or the other, if you can still see a small gap between the wheel and housing then that's another good sign.

If you're not familiar with how to take a turbo apart and clean it then just run some brake cleaner through it. Spin the wheel by hand as you spray cleaner in to the oil feed hole, don't be shy on the cleaner. Do the same through the oil drain hole then blow it out really good with air. After you clean it prime it with oil, you can just fill up the oil feed hole with oil then use a air gun to help push oil in to the turbo. Keep doing that until you see oil coming out of the drain hole. After you do all that the shaft play should decrease and the only other way to find out if its still good without taking it apart is to run it on the car.

 

[ehc14]

Perfect, I will do that. Thanks a ton for the quick responses guys!

 

[Miasma]

t3 is just the size of the flange for the hot side, take a picture and post it so we can identify to tell you what rebuild kit you will need if it requires one.

Journal bearing turbo's aren't to difficult to rebuild, so I wouldn't be to turned off it giving that it is a free turbo.

 

[ehc14]

Ah gotcha, well next time I am over there I will snap a bunch of pictures of it. Thanks!

 

[JusMX141]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/tur...-what-worry-about-when-buying-used-turbo.html

 

[ehc14]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/tur...-what-worry-about-when-buying-used-turbo.html

Thanks! That post didn't come up when I searched for info. Good info!