unpredictable hard start.

[Teardrop]

Seems the Fuel pressure regulator went bad.
the engine was leaking gas on the ground badly, and when I was taking thing apart, gas was spilling all over the place, I guess the diaphram in the FPR gave way and sucked a bunch of fuel into the rest of the intake system.

[BillBoost37]

That is likely your issue.

When he said your pump is weak, he likely meant from a leakdown perspective. If your pressure leaks down from either a back check valve in the pump or the fpr failing, it'll exhibit this type of behavior.