Quick question. PAS whining

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mini-si

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Hi all.

Power steering was whining very bad last night. Woke up this morning noticed a leak,
checked power steering fluid which is low. Have checked leak and it seems to be coming from a 19mm nut on the end of pipe above steering rack gaitor on the off side of car. Have tighten ever so slightly and will top up with fluid ASAP. Can not see any corrosion on pipes.

Could it it be that simple?

anyone else experience this?

car is 2001 s3 by the way.

Cheers in advance
 
Have nipped it back up topped up fluid which was only about 100ml if that and she is still whining like a good un. So am thinking the pump is now kaput.

Anyone know the part number for PAS pump?

Is there a how to guide to change the pump?
 
Could just be some air has got into the system, if you run it with the cap off does the fluid look frothy at all?

I'd jack up the front end, take the reservoir cap off and work the rack lock to lock a number of times just in case some air has got into the system and also is it the correct fluid? should be a pale green and not red.
 
Have turned steering rack to rack for about a minute with cap off and it did froth a bit but seemed to clear. Would I benefit from moving steering lock to lock with car jacked up? How long typically should I be turning wheel lock to lock for?
 
I only mention jacking it up as it makes it easier to turn the wheels when you have to do it alot and also would stop the tyres scrubbing in the same spot, which can't be too good for them. With regards as to how long to do it, well depends if the noise is getting better or not?
 
Well jacked the car up, removed the power steering cap and ran the car a good ten minutes full locking the steering side to side. With the car jacked up and no load on the pump it seems ok, no noise. As soon as I drop the car back on its wheels and turn the steering even slightly it's whining real bad.

How can the pump pack up so quick?

I ran it for no more than a mile tops once it started to whine and got her home straight away.

Really annoying as the previous owner had not long had all the work done on pas. New pas pipes and rack and pump was checked.
 
It does sound like it is the pump at fault then :( from what I've read they aren't very robust.
 
Anyone know of any guides of how to replace the pump?
 
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