If your running saddles is your pump lower than your fuel source? Remember its harder to pull fuel than to push it. This could be your hard to start prob. Also I've seen a separate tank used, Fuel is pumped to it and because it is higher and closer to the pump it will supply fuel much easier. You could be sucking the lines dry due to the distance your trying to pull the fuel. Had a prob like this on a injected dragster once. The tank location was a messed up location. We added a tank close to the pump and added a float switch and electric fuel pump to keep our added tank full. A bit of extra bs but solved our starvation prob. :hammerhea
Just my thoughts... Mike