[laser3kw]

is there anything else that is recommended for longevity

Nice machine- sexy in a lawn mower way
avoid cutting wet grass, keep it clean, keep it dry, keep it warm (if you live in snow country)

I read something about a compression release on these engines to prevent this sort of kickback at low RPMs. Could this be the issue?

sorry for the sadness - a emotional roll coaster
Yes it sounds like something with the automatic start compression release