why wont my engine rev higher than 4000rpms when im in neutral or park? is this just some strange feature or is my car messed up. i rev it up and it like stops it and shakes.i just thought it was kinda odd.

Interesting....would sound like your rev limiter with the car shaking. Do you notice it trying to move at all? Can you pass that mark when in drive?

Most cars now have a rev limiter on them so you don't think that you are in drive and floor it and blow the engine. That is about where mine is on my Malibu, not sure about the bonneville though.
It probably hits that point and "bounces" fairly quickly.

As long as when you are driving it doesn't do it you are fine, but when you are driving there should be one close to ther red line that will do the same.

i dont think it does it in drive cause the other day i got to take it on the pavement (i live on gravel roads and im only 15 at least for another month) and i gunned it and im pretty sure it went past that mark (i was more focused on the speedometer than the tach) i was just impressed how fast it went to 60 (of course it was slightly downhill) but who cares!!

i have a 94 SSEI , and it wont rev higher than 4000 rpm in park or neutral. it'* not supposed to ! so , no worries

That is so you won't blow up your engine (Like some people did before the limiter existed).

Why would you even want to?????

When I had my fuel line conditioning I had to rev at 3000 in park, it was painful, I hated doing it :(

I couldn't imagine revving to 4000 in park or N, hooray for rev limiters IMO

Yeah but under no load its really not horribly hard on the engine to go to 4grand. It doesn't take as much fuel hence there isn't as much force being applied. What is a problem is the valve springs. They have a certain frequency that if hit will destroy them with the quickness. Most materials have this "problem", you can see for yourself by putting vinegar on your finger and lightly rubbing the top of a glass. It makes a certain tone, if your replicate that tone loud enough it will crack the glass. ahh 4th grade science. Generally this is one major area they look at when setting the rev limit.

I've noticed when out playing in the icy lots that the rev limit will kick in at 4 grand, but if the roads are wet from rain it go to a little over 5 and cut.

Just a rev limiter, I got it too. But in drive it should shift a little past 5k (unless you "manually" shift).