i've heard the term "shaft play" and the turbo i'm considering on buying seems to have very little/no shaft play at all. i tried moving the turbine fans side to side and it moves very slightly, almost not noticeable at all. I heard somewhere that the fins are supposed to spin very freely, but how freely should it spin? the one i have spins with some force but spins very smoothly. is this a good turbo? any guidelines on what other things i should look for? btw its a t3/t403. What is a reasonable price for this turbo? thanx

 

Many turbos out there have shaft play. Generally the bigger the turbo, the more play. The wheels, even if turning them by hand does not move them freely should be fine. Remember, turbos are engineered to spin at certain RPMs and when there is enough load on the thrust bearings, it will spin straight and true freely. Expect to pay around 700-850 for the unit you specified.

 

well said, couldn't agree more

 

thanx for the info. how bout for a used, rebuilt one? thanx