Hopefully someone can make sense of this gibberish, as I have no technical background or testing equipment of any kind (wouldn't know what to do if I did)

I recently picked up an 83 244 turbo - the Volvo shop I bought it from slapped a used turbo unit on it and I'm starting to believe it has never boosted. It runs smoothly, good idle - but when I am on the highway I can lose 20 mph on a hill. Accel from a stop is sluggish, but there is a bit of power between 25 and 45 mph. The stock boost gauge moves up just barely to the yellow, about 12 o'clock.

I just found a questionable hose to replace, but also noticed that the little threaded plastic piece the accel cable runs through into a bracket by what I assume is the actuator rod is broken, half on either side of bracket. Does anyone know what this part is called, and could something as small as that be affecting my performance?

I have read many other posts referring to clogged cats, vacuum hoses, etc. but thought I'd throw this out there. I'm hoping for the best because I'm broke and looking at a 6 hour trip this weekend. Hopefully I can get the cat checked out this week.

Sometimes I feel like an idiot when I do things like drive a turbo for 2 mos. then decide it's not boosting, but it is both my 1st brick and 1st turbo of any kind.

Thanks for any help ...