so i have none, as in no power steering in my runner. its been this way sense thursday just after i got stuck. it was fine for the most part up in the snow but on the drive home nothing... heres where it gets funny. at first i thought it was just the low tires, so no biggie, aired them back up, still had the problem -hard steering. so then i went and bought some atf, thinking i was just supper low(but i didnt have the low PS pump sound/whine. so i got a little mechanical pump and pumped out what was in the res. -it was all dirty and dark brown, and had small metal flake in it(odd i thought). anyhow so refilled while having the wife muscle the wheel back and forth for me to try and circulate the new fluid... -we went through about 3qts of atf. the pump was moving the fluid around in the system, cause as id pump it out i was getting old dirty fluid, no the new fresh stuff i just poured in.... but still it was a bear to turn the wheel. then i thought maybe i just had a blockage in the line. so i put about 100 miles on it this weekend and no change in the steering at all, still no power assist. also their is no squeel/whine or sound of strain from the pump like you get when you turn your wheel to lock and try to turn it further. so that leads my to think their is no "blockage" in the system as they pump would give off the whine as its trying to push the fluid through the system. at the same time i know the fluid is circulating through the system cause now after 3 new qts of aft, the system is now a dirty dark red(still has the fine metal flakes) and not a brown color as before. i dont think its the rack, i know i have had a small leak for some time in the rack, that has not gotten bigger, or changed. still weeps fluid.

im so stumped as to what this could be, so any thoughts or advice will be helpful. thanks guys

I would have to look but is there a separate belt for the PS pump? I could be wrong. just a thought

the belt is fine

If the belt in still there (which it sounds like) then it has to be that the pump is shot.

thanks this is what i was hoping for... (it cheaper than the rack). i was just confused and stumped cause the pump is circulating the fluid somewhat. i guess just not enough.
is it normal for these to have that metal flake in their -almost looks like a metal flake paint... ?
and do these pumps tend to fail at a general time, like do they have a life expectancy? -to my knowledge this is the original PS pump.
is it worth it to get one used, or should i just buy a new one?

Metal flakes in the fluid is not normal. My guess is you're seeing bearing particles, and it's only a matter of time before it starts whining. You might have gotten the fluid hot enough to do damage during your adventure. Steering coolers for off-road machines aren't uncommon.

well a new to me pump out of a wrecked 4runner is $45, so im gonna start there. ill let you guys know later today...

Gerdo you were right it was the pump thanks man

Glad to help.