93 Taurus LX scraping noise

Alright, so I've had this checked out by Ford's certified technicians (big whoop) and other than replacing the starter they informed me that it checked out alright other than a small oil leak from the pan (which i was told i could have repaired during my next oil change). I asked them to pay specific attention to the cooling system, because more recently my thermostat readings have been ridiculous (car overheats within two minutes of driving in 13 degree temperatures.) This is my first vehicle, so I am inept as far as information and technicality goes.

I checked underneath my car, and coolant seems to be dripping from three different places in the under front of my car, all drips centralized on the bottom U of hoses (unaware as to what these are): and as my car gets to overheating, a scraping noise, orignating from under the hood on the right side (where my radiator overfill tank and what not is) sounds, and the engine suddenly cools to right around the middle of the M in normal, but quickly climbs back up to dangerous temperature.

In addition, when tonight I opened my hood, there was steam rising from underneath the power steering cap, and when i pointed the flashlight at the vents (i think they be vents, those furthest to the front within the hood), i saw coolant dripping from them and the steams origin was from that source.

I've been reading through the forums looking for answers, and I think after a while this filling my car with coolant every three days and driving with crossed fingers might completely wear me out.

Ive had them check twice, both for a bundle of cash, and they blah blah for a minute and tell me nothing is wrong, these beings techs and running full diagnostic. I've filled my coolant about four times in the past two weeks, both in the overfill tank and after opening the radiator cap.

I've been told it could be my water pump, it could be my hoses, it could be the entire radiator, and im just lost at this point.

Would anyone know what the problem is, and secondly, what that scraping noise would signify?

Thank you ever so much.

Did they pressure test the cooling system??? Obviously, something's leaking somewhere, if the water pump was leaking out the vent hole, I don't believe it would end up on the underside of the hood near those holes you're talking about, could be a hose, you've got plenty of them, could be the radiator, that o-ring design sometimes is a leaker, I just replaced the rad on my kid's 93 Taurus, in between replacing split hoses and whatnot,, the coolant was squirting out of the crimp, after pressurizing, between the side tank and the core, bout 2" from the top, below the cap,, I was hoping we could fudge it until springtime too gd cold here, couldn't get away with it