Woody Anderson

OK, I borrowed a pressure tester from Autozone. (what a great place). The prescribed presssure lbs in tester manual 45-53 lbs.
With engine cold I turned on the ignition and no start the pressure only went to 20 lb. When I started it the pressure went to 30 lbs. and held steady.
After the engine was hot I turned it off and the pressure jumped to 50 lbs. in about 10 minutes. now when I started it the pressure dropped to about 12-15 lbs. and it was just chugging. After a few seconds it leveled out and rose to 30 lbs.
This seems to point to the fuel pump; but the outside air temp seems to have an effect. In the cold weather I hardly ever have the problem. And in the hot weather if I lift the hood when I turn it off it starts better.

'96 4.9L chugs on warm start. Will usually level out if I nurse the accelerator. Most on site with same problem have said replacing the fuel pump solved the problem. Before I spend the big bucks on the pump; can someone explain why cold starts are fine and the truck runs smooth as silk at all other times. I've got 143,000 miles on it.
A handshake in thought, Woody