problem...need advise/help

[solo]

so two weeks ago my power steering goes out in the middle of drivin.. i pull over, turn it off, wait a few minutes, turn it on, it works just fine.. no problems till today.. my girl goes to work, on her way it goes out again.. she goes and gets power steering fluid from bmw dealership..since then power steering was in and out... if i turn the car off then on it worked for a minute..later im drivin, notice smoke, insantly pull over, pop hood, flames, put them out.. apperently fluid spewed every where and caught fire on the headers.. since i caught it soon enough there is no apperent damage.. i think this is cause my girl put too much fluid in..so i took some fluid out, cleaned up fluid with brake cleaner, no more problems with that.. but now the power steering does not work at all!! i need to know all possibillitys please... and it still has plenty of fluid..

['Cuda66]

The pump is not locked up?

[solo]

how would i tell??

['Cuda66]

Find the pully on the pump, and see if it turns while the car is on. Hopefully you can see it from some where, I don't think I have looked under the hood on a Mini before.

[solo]

i don't think i can see it but i'll take another look tomorrow..

['Cuda66]

Drop lights are my friends. Everything goes wrong at night.

[Mr. Merk]

minis are pretty much impossible for an average guy to work on, you'll be pulling the front end off the car to do anything but an oil change

[solo]

could it be a belt? oh and since i got it 5k miles ago the power steering always had a loud wine..no it wasn't the SC.. but no wine any more.. if that helps..

['Cuda66]

Hummmmm, seems on those cars the pump is electric. Google it and read a little about it, looks like its a common thing.