Fuel pressure issue on '93 Escort. Have gauge readings

Hello.
I'm trying to figure out the problem on our '93 Escort.
Car has been sitting for a couple weeks so i decided to drive it. It dies once and a while when coming to a stop and sometimes hesitates (chugs) while accelerating. This happens probably every 2-3 minutes and i have to restart the car. I had a feeling it had to do with the fuel delivery, so i attached a gauge to the valve on the fuel rail... and drove while watching the gauge.

At idle the guage reads roughly 35-38psi and it does rise just slightly when quickly going to wide open throttle.
When the car starts to chug while driving or the idle goes real low... sure enough the gauge drops down to 15-10 psi, but sometimes when i play with the gas peddle it will go back up to normal.
So i can confirm it is a fuel problem, but i'm not sure if it would be a pump problem, fuel filter, or pressure regulator issue?!? Has anyone had this type or problem before? It's the 1.9 liter engine.
If anyone can help me out this would be great!
Thank you!!

Sounds to me like a vacuum leak. Check your vacuum hoses and test for leaks around the intake manifold.

I'm also thinking vacuum leak. Check the PCV elbow.

If you dont find any vacuum leaks....
The fuel pressure should be lower with higher manifold vacuum, but I dont think the fuel pressure should drop as low as 15 psi, even when you are decelerating from highway speed, i.e. at maximum vacuum. So my first suspect would be a bad fuel pressure regulator. The reason I can imagine that fiddling with the gas pedal would make it go back to normal would be due to the moving part inside the regulator being jiggled by the changes in manifold vacuum to it. If it were a partly clogged fuel filter I would expect it would run better at an idle - when there is low demand for fuel flow - and that it would result in lower fuel pressure when you were accelerating. I just checked prices for fuel pressure regulators and fuel filters at www.rockauto.com. The prices arent too bad: I might want to have a spare fuel press. regulator along for long drives in rural TX.
Since my Escort is running well now, I plan to hook up a pressure gauge and see what it reads at different manifold vacuum readings; since I didnt think the fuel pressure should ever drop below 25 psi.
It -Maybe- could also be a problem with the 'sock' strainer on the inlet side of the fuel pump in the fuel tank getting clogged with crud - but thats harder to check out than the stuff under the hood. I think its possible to remove the pump without dropping the tank. There is an access plate under the back seat, and with some wiggling you might be able to pull the pump/sender assembly up and see if that strainer is coated with muck.
Of course be VERY careful working around gasoline and its fumes.

I just changed my fuel pump and was very easy. new pump cost $130 at autozone but came with no guage float, so you will have to remove the one on your original pump and put it on the new one. but usually if it's working it's working and if it's not, it's not. it's easy to pull up the back seat too, start with the side that meet's the seat back then you will have to pop two snaps loose on the front of the seat. definitely the easiest fuel pump ever.

Man there is some really bad advice given here!

If your loosing that much fuel pressure than it is more than likely the fuel pump. The next thing to do is montitor voltage at the pump to make sure there is a steady 12v + supply of power to it when it acts up. If there is than there would be no hesitation on my part to install one in a customers car.

Vacuum leaks won't cause that much pressure to be lost, and if there is a vacuum leak it would be the same as having the throttle open which in both cases would supply less vacuum to the regulator which would increase fuel pressure. The more you step on the throttle the less vacuum in the intake which causes fuel pressure to rise a couple of PSI because the engine needs more fuel to make more power to accelerate!

Generally pressure regulators don't go bad then good because the "parts jiggle around". They either leak externally, restrict the flow of fuel causing pressure to go up (more common), or relax (do not regulate the flow of fuel, less common but not impossible). They do not go back and forth as a rule of thumb but anything is possible.

If the power and grounds check out at the pump than replace it!

I see very few examples of advice posted that is intentionally bad. I think most posters are trying to be helpful - and I encourage that; though each of us have different levels of knowledge/experience.
I hope kpeters will give feedback on what the problem was, so the community knowledge can increase. It was very useful to learn the fuel pressure readings for example.

The only way to never give erroneous advice is to never post. Ill set the example.

Sounds like a vacuum leak to me. Pinch off the vacuum hoses at the intake plenum. A change in engine speed might, but not always, indicate a leak.