Power steering noisy pump

When the car has been running for a while and driving it hard the power steering pump makes the most awful groaning noise when you attempt to turn the steering wheel. The cap on the reservoir spits out oil when you try to remove it and the contents are all frothed up. The sides of the reservoir are bulging.

The Volvo forum described these symptoms exactly:

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=110646

"Quick and easy fix if your pump steering is noisy, feels wrong, froth in reservoir. Look inside the Power Steering Reservoir to were the inlet pipe is and if you see a brass pipe approx 40mm long this is your problem as it should be covered by a "L" shaped plastic pipe. Fish around in the bottom of the reservoir , retrieve it and refit. It is secured by removing the inlet pipe and pushing in the 20mm or so of brass pipe till flush with flange. If this is to fiddly purchase a new reservoir. It is caused by the high pressure from the pump gradually pushing the brass pipe back into the inlet pipe causing the L piece to drop off thus causing the froth which your pump then tries to pump."

 

We decided on a slightly more robust but cheap approach. After doing the above we added a second pipe to keep the original pipe in place and secured with a jubilee clip.

 

Plastic internal pipe

Additional pipe

Original pipe now kept in place with additional pipe