So I went ahead and had my shop change the pump. GM Master tech on their staff so was confident they could handle the job. Was out the door for $1480. This included the pump, camshaft seal, Vacuum pump gasket, oil cooler gasket, oil pan seals, evac & recharge a/c, oil change, antifreeze, tax, and labor.
Fortunately when inside everything looked great. No abnormalities or metal deposits.
It seems like catching these things early is huge. I’ve read threads of people driving on the CEL for months which blows my mind. I would say if you’re hearing a whine don’t assume is power steering, just have a reputable shop take a peek. Complete failure would likely spell disaster for a bottom end.
We’ll see how long this one lasts.. at the price I paid compared to others stating $2500, I’m pretty happy.
Now time to enjoy my truck