I have an 804B and I am pretty happy with it. I have put 400 hrs on it, it had 2 hrs when I bought it. They are very reliable in general but do need maintenance, especially if they have been sitting for a while. I did have to replace the fan belt, batteries and voltage regulator. I would say you definitely want to see it running and with minimal exhaust smoke once it has warmed up and minimal crankcase pressure out the oil dipstick. Good luck!
There are several things that can cause this, so more info is needed. Here are a few things to check first.
* any alarm lights on?
* all engine gauges (oil, temp, rpm) nominal? No surging?
* check regulator fuses? (Behind panel)
* check 24v fuse and 50/60 hz setting?
If none of the above, then I would suspect a voltage regulator problem…. There are several posts on how to diagnose this…
