Looking for advice from our more experienced evomers.........

How much shaft play is acceptable on the stock turbo?

I run a 2005 VIII GSR for my daily driver and I'm on the stock turbo at 110K miles. I noticed that there is about 0.5mm radial shaft play on the inlet side, with 1.0mm axial play a couple of months ago. This was just before I switched to E85. Since then I've upped boost from 21 to 25psi and checked it monthly - knowing it is pretty close to the end of its life .

There is no smoke, no oil loss, and the bearings seem to be holding up OK. The question is what are the acceptable limits for radial and axial play before I pronounce it dead?

 

People are prob going to say....when it leaks oil or the impeller starts touching the outside or something.

 

Actually I will say when it starts blowing white smoke out the back end. Usually the bearings go and burns the oil. Some shaft play is ok but not alot.

 

Side to side a few millimeters is ok, but no in and out movement.

 

^Over the years, that is what I have see. In and out shaft play is bad.

 

If the turbine/compressor blades are in good shape, the only other issues you will encounter is burning/leaking oil, or it will emit an extremely loud whine.

I wouldn't be concerned until you actually have symptoms

 

There is no "spec" acceptable shaft play on the stock turbo, but my 05' GSR stock turbo with 40k miles that I took off has zero play... also for sale (cheap) too
When my GTI 1.8t k03 turbo started to go it never smoked but the thing made a whining noise, almost like a supercharger. When my 50trim was going it began to have white smoke under start up and acceleration but no noise.

 

Im going to assume my turbo is f'ed then if no in and out play should be there. I have about 1-1.5mm in and out and about 2-3mm up and down or side to side on my stock 8 turbo with 106k miles, the last 10k miles on 26psi