Connect a fuel pressure tester and see the fuel pressure, you also need to replace the plastic pipe with a real rubber vacuum hose.
If your fuel pressure is low and crimping the return raises it to normal, then you need to find out if the pump is weak or the fpr is leaking. A cheap way is to have an fpr connected while the return line fills a bottle, if you have low pressure and fuel filling in the return bottle. Your fpr is bad (confirm this with dead heading the pump, it should be able to pump 90 psi in this state.
After replacing the fpr, check its vacuum control by removing the vacuum line, it should increase from about 40 to 50 psi on running engine.