PS pump sounds permanently like an angry cat

[davidwort 0]

1990 16v, early golf 2 style power steering pump.

It's happened to me once before, I think the by-pass valve in the PS pump has stuck and so it's constantly pumping to the rack (fluid reservoir is bubbling like mad all the time), last time I just bought a new pump, even though the bearings were fine as it had done 100,000 miles.

Question is, can it be freed off? This pump is only about 20,000 miles old and from what I remember the valve is down the side of the unit where the pressure hose to the rack connects.

 

cheers,

David.