528e fuel pressure issue

I am almost there with this craigslist car but I've encountered something kinda funkie. I discovered an issue with the transfer pump in the tank and replaced it. fuel volume is almost double the minimum requirement now and fuel pressure will go as high as 80 psi w3hen the return is pinched off.....but.....fuel pressure is only about 32to 34 psi depending on whether the fuel pressure regulator vacuum line is on or off. Replaced the regulator and have the same results.....$80 later....I read something about the external fuel pump having a sort of noise baffle that could cause regulating issues...but that doesn't sewem to make sense here because the pressure shoots right up when you pinch the return after the regulator on the fuel rail....car runs perfect with the line pinched incidentally

I think you might have dirty injectors that flow more when the pressure is higher (expected). Are your gas lines connected properly, feed in the rear of the fuel rail and return out of the FPR? Make sure that they haven't been reversed.

thanks for the help....I pulled the screens off of the injectors and it runs perfect....kinda high idle...but it runs great....looking at the idle now....ICM is free and functioning...rpms are bout 1500....pull the oil fill cap and drops to normal....ICM seems to be functioning to adjust to vacuum leaks and has smooth full range of motion...cleaned it anyway...same issue....any ideas?

Are you sure the ICV is functioning? The lower RPM's when pulling the oil dipstick is expected so that is ok. Have you cleaned and adjusted the Throttle Position Switch? It needs to be properly set so the ECU sees the engine at idle. I have attached the page from the Bentley that shows how to test it.