power steering problems please help

[mr_bmw]

went to a power steering rack specialist today to fin out exactly the prob my power steering oil was black he said it is sopossed to be red he said the steering rack is wearing its self out thats why the oil is black and need new rack he said i would need to change the pump to because of the black oil he said it would cause a prob cause u feeding the crap from the pump into the rack asked him he could flush it out he yes but u wont get all of it out hes asking Ԛ£500 fit&supply recon rack and pump would i be better off getting a rack from the breakers and flushing out the pump and the whole system???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Brianmoooore]

From your specialist's point of view, he's quite right to want to change the pump as well, because you're not going to be to happy with him if your new rack failed in a few months time.
In practice, a good flush through, and the pump will be fine, mated to a rack from a scrapyard. Try to see the rack on the scrap car, so that you can check the colour of the fluid, and that the rack gaiters do not contain any fluid.