i have a 84 vette. i just installed a small block 400. we then installed a street avenger carb. the car has an intake fuel pump from an 88 vette that was dumping WAY too much fuel in the carb.
we then installed a holley fuel pressure regulator. the fuel seemed okay at first , the car cranked , rhen died, now no fuel at all, even before the reg. , checked the fuses, they seemed fine. what could cause this? and will a regular inline fuel pump pull through the in tank pump?

 

Just running a regulator on a pump like that will burn it out in short order. You'll have to replace it with a carb compatable one.

As far as an inline pulling through the stock pump...for some reason it seems to vary. Manages to work for 50% that try it, and it won't for the other half.

 

I couldn't think of a worse restriction than 'trying' to pull fuel through a dead in tank pump.

BTW: I've done the pump on my '94, and lets just say it's harder to do the filter than it is the pump !!!
The pump in the tank will take a whole 30 minutes to pull. You probably already knew that.

They also make regulators that hook up to a return line so it dosn't just restrict the fuel and back up on the pump, but alows the restricted fuel to return to the tank.

I would consider a mechanical pump. Those in tank pump put out way to much pressure. Your carb probably only wants 6-8, and your using a 45+ pound pump. That a lot of regulator action there.

Ron