The P/O of my car lived on a dirt road, you know what that means...LOTS of dust. Can a very dirty air cleaner retard the function of the turbo? I suspect it can signifigantly...how difficult/expensive is it to replace the air cleaner?
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Cullen Wassell / Newmarket NH - '90 764ti / 250,000

buy it from importeccatalog.com... they have incredible prices and sell the EXACT parts for your car.

I just put a new Mann air filter in my brick. They list teh following for a 1990 760t:

Crosland retail:$28.07 importec:$6.54
Bosch retail:$28.07 importec:$10.43

I don't know which you should get, but I know Bosch makes quality parts and that $10 for a new filter is, to me, a totally acceptable cost.

BTW, if you order over $50 (if you need other items) 2-3 day shipping is free (ups ground).

-rt

p.s. the site has pictures of the filters if you want to compare with your current one.

Bad experience with AZ Deutch filter, the seal was not too compliant and thicker than the filter supplied by FCP Groton. Anyway the AZ filter stressed the the housing to the point of fracturing one of the retaining clips (plastic part on housing) FCP Groton part was a perfect fit.

Get a new filter element at Autozone, remove the cover, vacuum out the box and clean out the junk, and install the filter. That's all you need. They last, under normal conditions, around 30k miles, less in dust.

You can get an AMSOIL foam air filter which will take out more dust than the others and still pass plenty of air, even when heavily loaded with dirt.
Washable, reusable. Mine in my 85 245turbo lasted 12 years before I had to replace it.
And, yes, a heavily plugged air filter can reduce the air flow significantly and reduce response.