We've had the "long crank" issue since day one. A year or so again we started having back fire issues through the intake filter assy. We found that due to the backfires it had blown the mixer diaphram apart. That was changed and the regulator was changed. Still backfires. The factory insisted it was an ignition problem so the entire ignition system was changed (coil, wires, plugs, cap and rotor) and still backfiring. We could minimize the backfiring by adjusting the timing but the n we had this up and down RPM whil sitting. Then we pulled the mixer off and cleaned the throttle body. Same problem continued with idle, backfiring and long cranks. So i pulled the intake and gave it a good flushing. Now the idle issues and backfiring are gone but the "long cranks" are still there so even after putting on a new regulator the problem was still there.

I can attach a spark checker and for the first 3-4 seconds there is no spark through the wires.