I have a 2000 4.2 5 speed. I replaced my power steering pump last year(this same weekend). When the shop replaced it I went through 3 duds in 2 weeks and finally got one that worked!.....or so I thought. It is going out now....would anyone have an idea as to why a power steering pump would go bad in a year? fluids are right and all hoses are leak free.

it is my daily driver and I have put about 8000 miles on it around town.

 

Discribe a bit how it acts that makes you think it's the pump.
Has the hoses been change with it?
There should be a filter in the system, maybe it's plugged.

 

all the hoses were replaced when the first pump went bad last year.

There is a squeak/squeal when I am turning my steering wheel.

I checked the filter first and it is all clear.

All the duds that got put in made a different whining noise constantly(the shop said that since the parts had been sitting on the shelves for so long not in use they just go bad) vs. right now it is a pulley squeal.

I am hoping to get it into the shop on Tues to see whats up.....

 

If the belt is on the edge of slipping and squeals, it sounds like the pump is pumping against a restriction of some sort.
Also the air has to be purged or noise can result.
I would not think shelf age would be a factor on a metal, displacement type pump.
Good luck.

 

I put a cleaning agent in mine and after that I replaced the fluid with full synthetic trans fluid. I've heard of people changing the Ford pump over to a GM pump with great results.