What are the signs of a failing steering pump.......can belt slippage(worn belt) cause poor steering pump performance......

My steering is stiff sometimes......a day later it will be back tonormal like nothing ever happened......then again it will be stiff..........
what is happening

when it acts up, is it a notchy feel rather than a consistantly stiff steering?  if so, check you steering column where the u-joints are - they probably are shot.  You'll have to unbolt one end to check. 

yes at certain points in the turn its stiff then it releases again so your saying....so your sayin my u joints are shot......hopefully that not expensive *checks haynes book*
No mention of U joints....did you mean Ball joints?

The U joints link the steering column to the steering rack - open the hood and find the lower end of the steering column and you'll find the U joints.

sorry i was not used to short terminology U -joints = Universal joints and your saying those are the cause how due to seizing???

The easiest way to explain this might actually be to remove that short shaft and play with it - it the joints are binding (or seizing) they cause a cyclic tight-loose-tight-loose effect as the shaft rotates - this is what Frank was referring to as "notchy".

It's usually caused by the U-joints in the column, but, I have in one case where I had that tight-loose feel, has the problem be the rack itself.

I hope its not the rack

I kind of doubt that - the GVs are known to have a UJ problem, partly because the UJs are exposed to the weather - well - at least to whatever muck splashes up from underneath.

The car I experienced the rack problem was a Swift - where the column UJs are inside the cabin, and where the a/c evap drain drips onto the passenger side rack boot - sooner or later - as the rubber deteriorates, the vacuum that builds up in the rack under normal use sucks the condensate through the slightest pinhole or crack in the rubber - Ive seen the exact problem on two Swifts.

EDIT::::I ended up keeping the U Joint on and giving it a good power wash and a lite brushing of some good lubricant meant for all seasons.......bought another U joint JUst incase from a local junkyard thats sells good parts with warranties