Hey all, I want to help a neighbor possibly swap out his power steering pump. The reservoir is full and the steering is tough. I’m going to check it out again and listen for the power steering whine. If I don’t hear it, I think it’s safe to swap. I’ll check the fan works as well for the longevity of a future pump.

If the pump does whine, is it possible it’s the power steering rack? Are the symptoms similar? Stiff wheel when turning? And possibly stiff regardless the speed? I know when the pump is dead, the wheel is easier to turn at higher speeds, but I don’t know if that’s the case for the rack.

Appreciate any input. Thanks!

 

I have a brand new pump installed on my R53 and I find it somewhat hard to turn, especially compared to American cars. I think "power-assist steering" is more accurate than power steering. You should also check for leaks in the rack. Is it using fluid on a regular basis?

 

Same thing with mine. It’s def not butter, there’s some work to be done when turning. I’ll ask about top offs and check for leaks.

 

Have you run your VINs on MINI’s website to see if either car is part of the power steering pump or any other recalls?

 

Did you know if the power steering fluid was ever changed? While Mini consider it a "lifetime" fluid, it's a good idea to change it from time to time.
Anecdotally, I changed it recently on my 2002 Mini, and while I'm not sure it was original from 2002 (there was at least a top-up because a clamp under the reservoir had been replaced at some point), it was old and dirty. After changing it, the steering got notably easier.

But as @cooper48 says, it might be harder to turn than other cars you're used to. My experience is with French cars, and all those have better power steering than my Mini.

To test the whine, you can put the contact to position 2, feel how hard it is to turn, then start the engine. As soon as you turn the wheel with the engine started, you should hear the whine, and it should be noticeably easier to turn.

If you do end up diagnosizing it bad, before buying a new one, you can try to clean the inside. There are guides on that, and some people have successfully rebuild a power steering pump that way.

I cannot help with the rest of the questions unfortunately.