Aight so i was looking at a saab t3 turbo and was wondering how should i go about makeing sure this thang will work and it is not a piece of ----. i have herd shaft play and spinnin freely but how should i check this i know noob question!

 

You want zero up and down play and very minimal side to side if the turbine hits the casing the turbo will need rebuilt. ALso check the blades for any chips or bent fins. If you look in the FAQ there is a thread on checking your turbo.

 

also check the exhaust port of the turbo to see if it has a abnormal amount of oil in there. this will meen the gaskets and what not are blown.
also very very little side to side play is ok, when oil is run threw it, it will most likely tightin up.