Thanks for the raply again Lucid, I'll go point by point here.

1) I can hear the pump run. I've also gotten under there while someone else turned it over and felt it run.

2)No water got under the hood. It was closed for the duration of the wash, so it shouldn't have been any worse than a rainy day, which happens here a lot.

3)I looked at the coil primary, as suggested, and they seem fine to me.

4)I pulled the #1 plug to check its condition, but I haven't grounded it while someone else turns the car over to actually verify good spark. I figured that since she does fire up initially that it must be getting spark, but more in 7)

5) Thanks for that one, I'll check it tomorrow. Is there anything that causes the timing to change in start vs run positions?

6)For tools, I have a decent assortment of hand tools- rachet and wrench sets in both metric and imperial, hammers and vice grips etc... Enough to do most of the stuff that gets described on the board. And that's about the level of mechanic I am. On different occasions I've changed both fuel pumps, all the belts, alternator, starter, pulled injectors, valve cover and gasket, timing belt, water pump, swapped and balanced doors, done the muffler/resonator, motor and tranny mounts, U-joints, stuff like that. I like to think I'm able to do enough to keep her going.

7) It actually is once the key is released that she dies. If I keep the key turned all the way to start, she'll keep going. One thing my mechanic told me was to try running a temporary jump from the bettery + to the 15 terminal on the coil. He said that this would ensure that the plugs were getting sufficient spark, provided that the rotor and cap were all ok (which they should be, because it all worked fine pre-wash and she does fire in start)

That's kind of why I'm thinking the fuel line pressure reg. might be the culprit. If it lets enough gas through on the priming and start phases, but then shunts it all back to the tankafter that...?

Thanks a tonne for helping me out. I love (and need to keep) driving this beast.
Cheers,
-Forest
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The Beast: 81 245 GL (279k and counting)