I have been running a 95 cavalier on a 1/4 mile asphalt oval for about half a season and have been struggling with the gearing. I have a 5 speed and I don't know the ratios of the tranny to begin with and then I don't know where my rev limiter is at, it is a 2.2L. If I run 2nd gear I hit it pretty bad and if I run 3rd I feel as though I am way too low in the RPM to do anything. Recently the head gasket went so the motor is getting rebuilt now so I want to have this figured out before I get it back in, where exactly is the rev limiter for a 2.2? Thanks.
2nd gear a big 16" tire.
3 rd gear smallest 14 " you can find
rev limit should be right around 6,500
I run 185/65/14s in 3rd on a 1/3rd mile track, drop those down to 60s (or 55s if you can) on your 1/4 mile and she should get right into the power band. My 2 cents. I'm running a 91 tranny, but I think the 95 is the same.