Shaft play on brand new turbo

[gstowner]

Hey guys
Just bought an evo 3 16g from slowboy a few weeks ago. Haven't checked it out very much since I got it but last night I pulled it out of the box and was looking at it. You can move the shaft a little. Not alot but you can still move it very little. Is this normal? Or should it be completely solid?

Thanks guys?

 

[playitlouddsm]

There should be slight play, because theres no oil in the turbo yet. Once you install the turbo and run it a bit check again, i bet there won't be any.

 

[92awddsm]

Hey guys
Just bought an evo 3 16g from slowboy a few weeks ago. Haven't checked it out very much since I got it but last night I pulled it out of the box and was looking at it. You can move the shaft a little. Not alot but you can still move it very little. Is this normal? Or should it be completely solid?

Thanks guys?

It is normal to have a slight amount of shaft play. All journal bearing turbos have some shaft play to account for heat expansion between the steel shaft and bronze bearing. Oil pressure will center the shaft and take up shaft play once installed and running.

 

[92awddsm]

There should be slight play, because theres no oil in the turbo yet. Once you install the turbo and run it a bit check again, i bet there won't be any. The seals have a little give when theres no oil pressure.

Seals have nothing to do with shaft play, that is all in the bearings(bushings).

 

[gstowner]

GR8! Thanks a million guys!

 

[daren_p]

What kind of shaft play are you talking about? Side to side play like has been said is completely normal as long as its not enough to contact the comp cover but in/out isn't normal & there shouldn't be any.

 

[SleeperG]

there should be zero thrust(in and out) play.

and there should be a very small amount of side to side play, on account of it being a journal bearing.
the shaft spins on a plain of presurized oil. there HAS to be room for the oil to float the shaft over the bearing.
so a very small amount of play is absolutely normal, and required.

i would actually only be concerned if there WASN'T shaft play.

 

[gstowner]

There is no in-out play. Just minimal side to side. Not very much. I think its fine.

 

[DROOPY209]

None of my turbos have ever had ANY shaft play at all....

Should I be worried?

 

[andymoraitis]

Mine haven't either and both ran well. My Big 16G saw 26 psi on a regular basis and my 50 trim sees 23 and neither of them moved side to side or in and out. I really wouldn't worry about it.

I think what the above posters are trying to point out is that if you're going to have any shaft play, in and out is a bad thing while a little bit of side to side is acceptable. In an out is more dangerous simply because the blades can chew themselves up on the compressor housing inlet.

 

[90blacktsiawd]

Both my evo3 and my 50 trim had a little shaft play brand new.

 

[kottyking]

Actually, its quite common for brand new turbos to have shaft play. Then once you run oil through them, they no longer do. Good luck, keep us updated on what happens when you install it.