Mileage is 275k. No leaks (fluid level is fine). Not sure of pump condition because I don’t know how to check that.
That's sufficient milage to suspect cracked\leaky connections, worn out rack and\or pump, or both.
(along with every other part in there like tensioner, pulleys, etc)
I'd suggest carefully going over all the lines and banjo bolt connections to ensure there are no leaks.
I don't recall if all systems came with the "cooling loop" or if it was only some.
I'd also suggest draining and refilling the system with the correct fluid. IIRC, those were very picky on fluid and only liked OEM stuff.
You need a tool if you want to check the pump pressure. Something like this.
www.matcotools.com
Does it feel like the pump is assisting properly or are you also getting a workout? Is it just making noise and shuddering or does it feel "weak"?
As per above suggestions, if you actually suspect or see signs of issues with tensioners\pulleys, start replacing those, as no matter what it ends up being, you'll still need to fix these before they take anything else out.
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