yes my fan kicks in... but i checked earlier and the temp gauge was right up the radiator was cold, 1 pipe goin in is rock hard and boiling hot, and 1 pipe going out is a bit softer and freezing cold... possible water pump failure?
... That rock hard pipe may not be much longer for this world ...
You clear air locks by opening the bleed screws while filling the system and carrying on filling until you have a clear stream (not just a weedy dribble) of coolant coming out of the screw. You then defy nature and prove the existence of your third hand by whacking the bleed screws shut at the same time as continuing to pour coolant and ideally not overfilling the system. A bit too much and hopefully it'll just run out of the overflow when you run the engine and scare you into thinking there's a leak.
Not sure bout your engine, but typically bleed screws (usually two) will be on one of the hoses and the inlet manifold somewhere. The idea is that they're at the highest points in the system.
Grabbing a handful of bottom hose and squeezing repeatedly is very old school and not that reliable an alternative with more modern (say post mid 70s) cooling systems...