So, I'm curious. If there's a bubble in my coolant system, is there any way to burp it without draining the thing? For instance, if the car is currently cool, can I take the cap off and let it run for a while? I just moved to a place where I'm not allowed to work on my vehicle, especially if it involves dumping all my coolant. I figured I'd ask before taking it to a shop and paying who knows how much...

 

So just a follow up in case anyone ever stumbles upon this. I used a paperclip to jumper the line leading to the thermostat sensor. I was able to verify that the fan worked just fine, which meant replacing the thermostat and/or thermostat switch. I replaced both since I didn't want to have to drain the radiator a second time in the event I chose the wrong culprit for repair. The car stays nice and cool now. I'm stoked.

Thanks for the help guys.