Car - 93, 300D, 2.5T, 137K on the clock.

All of a sudden yesterday, I started getting a noise when I turn the steering wheel (more than just normal steering on the straight away). The best I can characterize it is a rubbing sound. My knee jerk thought is it sounds like it is coming right up by the steering column at the firewall. Almost like a bearing is dry or a boot is rubbing on something. It seems to go away as well, perhaps after a hard turn right or left or both, then doesn't do it.

My PS reservoir is full, belts tight etc. I can't 'feel' anything mechanical happening, it is just the sound. I recently re-packed my wheel bearings and I really don't think that is the problem. Also, this sound happens with the car not moving so doesn't seem to be wheel bearing related. Also seems too high up for it to be a ball joint or the steering box pitman area or the pump itself (pulley is solid and I don't hear anything by the pump area)

The sound seems to be right near the steering wheel or dash area. I'm not sure if I can hear it outside of the car or not, it quit doing it by the time I got my wife to sit in the car and turn the wheel. Grrrrr.....I hate the intermitant stuff.

So any thoughts on what it might be? (Is it possible it's the box on the end of the steering column area, I'm not sure how exactly that works, but I see a box kind of under the master cylinder area that connects with hoses to the PS pump. I assume that is on the end of the steering column. Not sure what it is even called to look it up either).