Fiesta Problems

[blk6t]

Hi, the wife has a 2004 Fiesta and driving the car tonight I noticed the following problems:
1) If the car is sitting in idle and I turn the wheel, the power steering makes a loud whine noise, but if driving with throttle applied, the power steering pump sounds quiet and normal.

Does any one know what the possible issue could be?

2) I have noticed the car was idling slightly more noisy engine than usual, when I blip the throttle in neutral to see what I could hear there was a pop from the engine then the engine would rev normal...strange.

I am really curious what this could be and if its possibly linked to the noisy power steering pump.

I would appreciate some mechanical feed back before going to see a mechanic.

Cheers and thanks!