Tuning carbs to run pod filters

Hello, This is my first time on the website and I've really enjoyed it. Now I'm here at the forum to ask for help with a situation. It's a 1981 Yamaha seca 550 that I'm building into my racer. The bike had been sitting for a long time,the carbs were junk. I found a set of used carbs tried to start the bike without the air box because I want to run pod air filters. The only way I could get the bike to start was to prime the carbs and hold my hand over the throats. once it starts it will slowly take throttle but doesn't idle. What I have been told by the self proclaimed motorcycle experts here in town is that i will have to rejet and syncronize the carbs to run these filters. I hope someone if not several of you can point me in the right direction.
Thanks,Ken