I know theres many threads on power steering pump/fluid issues i've read, but I dont have a very obvious situation on my hands.
I have a JDM S/Tb Forester. Few mornings ago I had my S/tb parked on a slight incline, started her up and heard a bunch of noise from the PS pump, I threw a bit of fluid into the reservoir and the noise stopped, went along on my way but the steering felt a bit lumpy.
Few hours later I parked her up, filled the reservoir a bit too much, jacked the front up and crawled underneath, the rack was wet with fluid, (there must be a reservoir overflow isnt there?), so I wiped it up as dry as I could then started her up, and turned the steering wheel lock to lock several times, and kept checking the rack below for leakage, not a drop, seemed to be no leaks. Drove the car a bit more over the next two days.
Late the next night, I started her up and heard the PS whine again, that was cured again by a topup of fluid, again I put too much in and there was an overflow wetting the rack.
I cant decide if there really is a leak in the pump or rack, or if im just chasing my tail between overfilling it and there being some air in the fluid still bleeding out or something.
What are all the possible leak points that I should examine? I read there is an O ring seal between the reservoir tank and pump itself, but this area seems totally dry and no evidence of leak there.
If I do have a leaky rack and go straight for a replacement, will any other rack go in, like a quicker ratio WRX or STI rack? That might be a nice sub.

 

The rack consists of 4 seals and 4 p.t.f.e rings. 2 main seals seal the rack bar and the other 2 seal the pinion in the housing ( 1 at top the other inside pinion housing). You need to put your steering on full lock and hold it there for a few seconds then full lock on opposite side this is when the rack is under full pressure and any leak will become evident. It will either leak out into the gaitors or out of the top pinion seal.

 

Ok well here is the feedback, the leak was the 17mm nut from the pump hard line to the rack had loosened.
This was a PAIN to discover and fix, because the lines come through a hole in the subframe to meet the rack and it is very hard to get at the 14mm and 17mm nuts, there is no room to turn a spanner in there, I only was able to turn it the little bit with a small crescent wrench and a cut-up ring spanner, and only after undoing all the rack mountings and steering shaft, and shifting the rack about a bit. I dont know if I would DARE to do a DIY rack upgrade after that experience!