The cooling fans don't seem to be working on the car is there a way to test the fans to see if they are even operating before I start trying to trace an electrical problem.

no information generic answer -horn check for problem in the steering wheel -----fan -check and test cooling sensor if radiator fan--inside evap fan --check and test control - fan connections ,wiring and components

We need rule out a few basic things to properly diagnose the overheating problems.
Step 1:Do you think?there is enough antifreeze in the radiator? Don t just look inside the plastic overflow bottle only, you should remove the radiator cap and then look inside the radiator.We should see the fluid level whether it is at its proper level or not. Most cars and trucks will hold a mixture of coolant and water .You should have the cooling system pressure tested for a leak if you have to add more than a pint of fluid .If we see any obvious fluid loss in the engine compartment or on the ground , we should also have the system tested.
Step 2:If you don not see any coolant leak or low fluid level , then you should determine when the overheating problems occurred.If the engine overheats only at a stop or idle ,Most front wheel drive cars will use an electric cooling fan motor located in front or behind the radiator. The existence of function of the cooling fan is to improve airflow across the radiator at stops and low speeds.The fan is controlled by sensors,it regulates the engine temperature and additional load that might be placed on the engine.The cooling fan is required by the air conditioning compressor to operate at idle when the compressor is on.It is a quick way to check the cooling fan operation to turn on the air conditioner.
Also the cooling fan should come on with the air conditioner compressor. Some automobiles will have two electric fans, one is the air conditioner condenser fan and the other is for the radiator .It will have a belt driven fan blade and fan clutch if your vehicle does not have an electric cooling fan on the radiator . This fan should be pulling a large amount of warm and hot air across the radiator onto the engine to keep it cool.The radiator fan is usually closer to the middle of the radiator. The radiator fan is responsible for cooling of the engine, while the condenser fan is responsible for increasing air conditioning efficiency at idle and low speed.If there is ample airflow across the radiator at idle. The radiator is responsible for the primary heat exchange for the engine, and airflow is crucial at this time.
Step 3:Again, we have ample airflow across the radiator, so we must inspect the proper antifreeze circulation.If there is a restriction in the system , it will produce the same affect.Water calcification can accumulate in the radiator and then drastically reduce the flow of coolant at a very high speed. Removing the radiator from the vehicle are the only two real cures for a clogged radiator.It be a waste of time and money trying to correct a restricted radiator when you use a can of radiator flush additive. Of course there are more technical issues that could produce an overheating problems, but the check list described above will identify the most common.Anything you can do to help the mechanic to deal with the problem will probably result in less diagnostic charges, and it might help insure a proper diagnosis of the problem at once of your 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier.
Step 4:You must inspect an electric motor cooling fan ,it will start with ignition key switch off, it has failed and needs to be replaced if the 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier fan motor does not spin freely . The electrical system operates the fan needs to be tested,If the fan motor "freewheels" that . Start the engine and then turn the air conditioner to the coolest setting, if your automobile does not have an air conditioner skip this step.The car air conditioner will operate the 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier cooling fan should activate within five minutes , the fan motor fuse must be checked first and the fuse condition is good the remainder of the electrical system must be checked.
Step 5:A wiring schematic is needed to further troubleshoot this problem ,which is located in a repair service manual. You may use the wiring schematic to trace the circuit through the fuse and relay components, if everything of 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier tests fine, the fan motor has failed and needs to be replaced. The most common repair is the cooling fan motor failure.
This isn't only theory. You can take these steps into practice.You can deal with the 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier overheating problems yourself.

Your radiator cooling fan will only come on when the engine temp has reached the point where it needs to have air forced through the radiator and thus bring engine heat back down to safe operating range. If your heater is not working check to make sure the fresh air vents aren't stuck open (are the controls stiff or not going all the way across?) check also that the heater shutoff valve lever which is usually situated on the firewall at the rear of the engine and can be found easily by tracing the hoses back from the thermostat housing aren't bent and/or seized up.

It would be unlikely that a heater core - a/c blower would be running or supposed to run a 30amp fuse, a 10 amp would be sufficient for that curcuit, or it could overheat the wiring in a fault.

Trace the wiring back, check for power from the fuse and trace it down to the fan, to check the fan run power into it and see if it operates.

Check the fan resistor.

This may not help, but it looks like two fan relays are in a box on the passenger side of the engine compartment. The info should be in the owners manual.
Let me know if you don't find it.

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• Check if it is getting power. Check fuse No. 34.
• Check the cooling fan relay.
• Run engine to bring temp up then turn off engine, disconnect harness,Visually inspect for pinched wires.
• Test for power with a test light(have to turn ignition on).
• If you have power could be a faulty fan (try spinning it to jump start it and see if it takes off).
• No power could be a faulty sensor or bad wiring.
• My experience with this type of problem points towards a malfunctioning temp switch if everything has checked out at this point.
• It's located at lower cooling house, bottom right.
• To Test that you need to bridge or jump the terminals. If you hold the terminal with the fastener on top and flat side left.
• Test for power first, Ignition on
• Left side female controls 1st speed jump them and see if fan works.
• Right side female controls 2nd speed jump them and see if fan works.
• If your fan works replace the Temp switch if not. and you do have power check out the fans.
• if you don't have power chase the wires back looking for a broken, burnt or pinched line.

It will be the sensor that triggers the fan relay or the relay itself that may be defective.Pop the fuse box cover off ,the one above the battery and locate a fan relay,(there is high and low) take the cover off the relay and push it down manually,this will test the fan circuit if the fan starts running when you close the relay manually.

Both fans don't necessarily have to start and stop together but you do need both of them to adequately cool the engine. If you plugged the harness from the drivers side fan into the passenger side fan and it worked then I think you've ruled out any electrical problems with the wiring. It's probably 1 of 2 things. Either the fan has gone out, or the temperature sensor has gone bad. I would start with the temperature sensor first. They are inexpensive and easy to replace. The sensor just threads into the radiator, usually at the bottom.

Good Luck!
~Brandon

If you did all that, you must have a broken wire or a plug that is not making good connection. you have to start tracing wires. Start with the temp. sensor on the engine, it works as a GROUND...
Hope this steers you in the right dirrection ??

it can be several reasons for your overheating we`ll start with the basics as you don`t say what you have tried yet.it could be the thermostat stuck shut which will require replacement,it could be that your cooling system is low very low on coolant and that there is a leak in the system,either the radiator,water pump, frost plug,or a head gasket is bad and causing the overheating,the cooling system will need to pressure tested and checked for leaks and damaged components replaced and the thermostat should be changed at the same time,it can also be a bad temperature sensor, also the cooling fan or fans may not be working either by a bad connection or a bad cooling fan motor,this can be checked by hooking up a tool that communicates with the on board computer and the cooling fans can be commanded to operate,if they don`t then while they are commanded you can tap on the cooling fans to see if they will start to work or if they are seized or you can hook up two jumper wires one ground and one positive and directly feed the motor from the battery to see if it will start working.and you thought fixing cars were easy,lol