Last month I got Ford to do my sump gasket and timing cover seals.

I also told them of my stop start traffic intermittant overheating issue issue, where the temp needle goes to 3/4's and stay there, causing rough gear changes and grumpy idle, until the traffic starts flowing again and temp comes back down.
At the time this happens a few mill's of coolant drips down under the harmonic balancer, from under the water pump area.

Ford pulled it out and said there was no corrosion, and they put it back in with a new seal. They said the coolant could be coming out of a small valve under the pump when she gets over pressurized. They also said the fans are fine, all speeds.

Strange thing is, I still get the heating issues, and coolant is still being ejected under the water pump. When the engine is getting hot, you can smell hot coolant through the vents inside, which I hate.

I'm getting worried because summer is around the corner.

Any idea's?

Water pump is stuffed and need replacing. At only about $50 odd bucks you don't use an old pump. The pump in the wagon did the same, changed the pump and no problems.

Yep definitely water up. Almost always is as soon as you get water leaking from where you did. All it takes is enough wear to loosen her up a bit and the coolant will leak. Even though a visual inspection shows that your pump looks fine, its probably dead.

Gee thanks for the quick replies.

What whould be going on inside the pump to cause the engine to get hot like that do you think?

When the pump wears, the clearances inside the pump open up. When this happens the water either just gets washed around inside the pump or leaks past the pump shaft seals and out onto your driveway. It usually only happens when the car is running and/or at operating temp. That's when the water pressure is at its greatest.

They are a cheap consumable item and are not meant to last a lifetime.