Cranks, but no start. I'm stumped.

Hey all, working on my girlfriends 2009 Subaru Legacy, and having a no start issue. Here's the backstory:

 

It all started with a head gasket job. Head gaskets were failing slowly, so we decided to pull the motor and replace them. The week before we were ready to do the job, the fuel pump failed. Couldn't hear it prime, no fuel at the fuel rail, etc. Got a new pump from the parts store, along with a strainer. Swapped the pump, put it back together, ran fine. Couple of days later, it's cold in the morning, so I decide to take the car to work rather than my motorcycle. Car won't start. Following weekend start doing some digging. Tapping on the relay with a screwdriver, checking fuses, nothing works. Decide to hit the top of the fuel pump housing and presto! Fires right up. Continue to have this issue for another week or so, figure that it's a faulty pump with a sticky spot that breaks loose when it gets rattled a little. Fast forward, decide to do the head gaskets when I have a 4 day weekend, get that all done and put the motor back in. Plug everything in, car fires right up. Sweet. Next day go to start it, and it won't start. Smack the pump, and it starts. Decide to warranty the pump now, while I have time. Pull the pump, get it swapped out, get home. Plug it in, everything looks good. Put the pump back in the tank, hook everything up, try to start it and nothing. Cranks all day long, but no fire.

 

Here's what I've checked so far:

 

No CEL

Has Spark

Runs on ether

Pump primes, and has good flow at the pump (have not put a pressure tester on it yet)

Fuel flow is weak at the fuel damper, barely a trickle

 

Everything I've seen so far has said that the FPR is in the fuel pump assembly. So is there something else between the pump and the fuel rail that could be restricting the flow? I've been under the car trying to chase the fuel lines but I don't see anything that looks like it's wrong. I'm pretty good when it comes to working on older cars (my '50 and '90 Chevys, and all my motorcycles run like champs), but I'm at a loss here

 

 

Thank you for any and all advice in advance!

You probably know a heck of a lot more about cars than I do, but I don't know, I'll throw this out there anyway. Some people (myself included) have had a problem with the fuel pump housing cracking. https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/cracked-fuel-pump-housings-need-recall-259756.html

 

 

I had my car towed to subaru a couple years ago because it would crank, but not start. They said the fuel pump housing was cracked and that was the problem. I don't fully understand fuel systems, could the crack cause a loss of pressure, and prevent the car from starting? Not sure.. Also, friggin subaru and their $108 gaskets

Just had a similar issue when I replaced my fuel pump. Car wouldn't start with the new pump. Nothing was coming from the tank outlet. I am occasionally stupid and hadn't replaced one of the o-rings in the fuel pump bucket so it was just blasting fuel back into the tank. No CEL. Hopefully it's something that simple.

Is this one of those double o-ring things...