98xj steering pump noise?

Ok this may seem like a stupid question...
Ever since i got my xj the steering pump has made noise when I turn the wheel. I check the fluids and its always at the right level. It steers just fine, its just noisey. Can I ignore this or does it mean its about to die?

My OEM pump made a similar noise for years. If your fluid looks good and it steers fine, it may be hard to tell when/if it will fail.
One day mine started sounding like a turbo without turning the wheel at all. I decided not to wait and replaced it with a Mopar remanufactured unit and Mopar fluid. The OEM pump lasted quite some time, so I stuck with Mopar.

Mine has been this way with no change for the last 20K miles. I expect it to last quite a bit longer, too.

Granted, I did do a fluid flush to try and extend its life. Seemed to quiet it down just a little. Use Mopar fluid only if you bother to do this.