I have a lifted, on 35s 04 d2. My power steering has suddenly stop working without any warning of any kind. No weird noises no intermittent issues, it just stopped out of nowhere. When the engine is running and I open the reservoir cap I can see fluid moving and it moves more when I give it more throttle, which leads me to believe that perhaps the pump itself is still good. There is a little bit of oil on the steering box down low but nothing huge and obvious. And knowing that it's a Land Rover it could just be engine oil from some other leak, haha.
So how do I differentiate which part I should replace? I know the pump is cheap and easy compared to the box, but I don't necessarily just want to throw parts at it. How else would I know?
Thanks much in advance!

 

Its the gasket on the back of the pump, that's were they alwasy leak from.

 

Would a slow leak make it suddenly not work?

 

sudden loss may be the piston seals or bad worm shaft inside the steering box, or the PS pump. Pump may look like it's pumping, but the pressure may be way too low. Hard to tell. Changing the PS pump is much easier than fixing the piston seals....

I would start with the PS pump. They are not terribly expensive...but some of the cheap versions have been know to leak. Maybe 'proline' is a better part?

 

Only if it is out of fluid.