Reader's Digest version:

Fuel pump dies. Change pump. Take Rodeo out for spin, noticed temp gauge climbing when stopped at idle in traffic (it's never done this before). Get it back safely. Replace T-belt, tensioner, thermostat, and fix P/S leak (it was time). Button it all up and start it. Starts and runs like a champ, warms up, thermostat opens. Gauge needle rises to just shy of 1/2 and stays put.

Take it for a spin. Go maybe 500 yards and the needle is climbing towards H. Get it back to the driveway before a meltdown and shut it down. There was coolant sprayed under the hood, but most noticeable was was a big puddle on top of the thermostat housing and in the valley between the cylinder heads.







Warning: pics look better on some monitors than others...

Coolant reservoir is just under the max mark. Radiator is about 4-5 years old, radiator hoses are in good shape, never any cooling issues before this.


I read about the o-rings on the inlet pipe that people have replaced, but would a leaky o-ring cause the coolant to spray out under the hood, and form a puddle like that?

Any ideas on where to start looking? Since I've got the manifold off, I've been thinking about replacing all the hoses down there, due to the mileage I've got on her. But, I'm at a loss as to how it was overheating so badly...