Tell your mechanic to make sure it'* not the fuel pressure regulator first before he digs out the fuel pump. One sure sign of a bad FPR is if there is any fuel in the vacuum line leading to the FPR. Also, check fuel pressure at idle, pull the vac line off the FPR and check the pressure. Then turn the car off and watch the pressure. If it bleeds down in a few minutes, that could indicate a bad FPR too, IIRC.