my car(350 L98 TPI) has a rough time starting, long cranking time, i pulled the vacume line to the fuel pressure regulator and it smells of gas, seems like its pulling fuel through the vacum and into the plenum. Does this mean my fuel pressure reg is bad?

 

I am 95% sure that is correct.

 

I also unpluged the fuel pressure regulators vacum line fro the manifold . Then turned key over to prime fuel pump for 2 seconds. Gas actaully squirted out of the vacum line so im pretty sure the diaphram is shot, also could this be causing damage to my motor( having fuel enter in through the plenums vacum port)?