HELP! Homie 360, new boot needed?

[LAWN BOY]

Hey folks. Workin’ on a Homie 360 today. Has sat for years. With the throttle linkage still disconnected, I poured a little gas down the carb to see if she’d fire off. Ran for 2 seconds at what seemed like a high level of throttle. The intake boot can be a lifted up a little bit, is that normal? It also has a crack towards the top as somewhat shown… Wondering if the intake boot really needs to be replaced? I’ll also be doing minor recoil work on this saw and I bet I’ll need to rebuild the carb. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[OnlyHomelites]

I'd replace it. Minor upward flexibility is normal, but that cracked surface tells the tale. If you don't replace it now, you will end up needing to very soon.