How much play in and out? That's what really matters. Since a journal bearing turbo rides on a film of oil, all of them will have some side to side play.
Has anyone successfully ran the cooler plate with the van filter housing without issues? The more people I talk to the more issues I hear with extended crank / drain back issues.
That isn't true. An oil thermostat is not like a coolant thermostat. It has a leakage percentage (around 10%) that still allows flow through the cooler to help prevent thermal shocking.