need confirmation of my thinking

1996 k1500 5.7 auto 175000 miles. a couple of months ago the truck started being hard to start. before turn the key it fires now you have to crank for 5 to 10 seconds. there is a misfire that started. the exhaust note on the passenger bank sounds different. i changed the plugs and two on that side smelled of fuel but were otherwize normal. i checked the fuel pressure and its 57 cold and hot and running but if i cut the key off it imidiatly drops to 20 where it holds for a few minutes before going to zero. I am thinking the regulator is shot and that the fuel pump is getting weak. I am planning on replacing the regulator this weekend as i need to do the intake gasket anyway.


sound about right to you gurus?

Sounds good to me. I too went through that, although now it seems the pickup is running lean and still losing fuel pressure, so in the tank I come!

also...might be check valve in the fuel pump. shut it down and immediatly clamp off the return and see what the fuel pressure does.