1980 xj 650

Recently picked up a 1980 xj650 with 16K original miles. There is some rust in the gas tank and found a product called EVAPO-RUST at O'Riellys'. Wonder if anyone has ever used it.
There are some cracks in the sleeve that connect the carbs to the engine. Any advice on repairing them? I was thinking of taking a piece of plastic and lining the inside to seal them.
Finally, as long as i take the carbs off as an assembly will i need to have them synced?

 

Rip,

Sounds like you are referring to your intake boots. You'll want to attack that problem from the outside... not the inside as you are suggesting.

Take a look at this thread:
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/carb-boot-repair-heat-shrink.47887/

This youtube video has also been linked from this forum by XJ riders with far more experience than I on this very topic...


As far as your other question with syncing... If you don't diddle with it too much, it will probably go back on the way it came off... but more than likely there are years of neglect that need tending to...

Some reading for you:
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/the-information-overload-hour.27544/
and
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/in-the-church-of-clean.14692/#post-120724

Good People with tons of knowledge here... Good Luck...

 

Evaporust is a good product. Afer you've cleaned the rust out, give the tank a good coating in phosphoric acid to neutralize the remainder, and install an inline fuel filter to keep any loose crud from getting to the carbs.