Engine Displacement Calculator

Created by Luis Hoyos
Last updated: Nov 05, 2022

Welcome to the engine displacement calculator, a tool created to calculate the size of an engine, one of the most relevant factors regarding a vehicle's power and performance. Input the number of cylinders, the bore, and the stroke, and the calculator will determine the displacement immediately.

This calculator allows for many different units; therefore, you can use it as a cubic centimeters (cc) calculator or an engine cubic inch calculator. It also works in various ways, so you can also use it to calculate the bore, the stroke, or even the required number of cylinders, as long as you know the rest of the variables.

What do we need to calculate the engine size?

Engine displacement, also known as engine capacity, is the total volume of air/fuel mixture an engine can draw in during one complete operating cycle.

The engine displacement indicates the engine's size and directly affects how much air and fuel the engine can draw in. Vehicles with larger engines typically have better acceleration and top speed, as larger displacements imply more ability to generate power. Additionally, it slightly influences other parameters like efficiency and power-to-weight ratio.

For those reasons, displacement is a relevant consideration not only for vehicle designers but also for anyone looking to purchase a new car. By understanding how displacement affects a vehicle's performance, buyers can informedly decide which model is right for them.

Formula to calculate engine displacement

The formula for engine displacement calculation is as follows:

V = L × (π/4) × D² × N

, where:

  • V — Engine displacement;
  • L — Stroke length;
  • D — Bore diameter; and
  • N — Number of cylinders;

Some important points about the previous formula:

  • The units we usually use to express V are cubic centimeters (cm³ or cc), cubic inches (in³), or liters (L).
  • To calculate the engine displacement in cm³ (using the formula), you must input the diameter and stroke length in cm. To get it in in³, you must do something similar and input D and L in inches (in). Our volume conversion tool can help switch between different units.
  • The cylinder of an internal combustion engine is not different from any other cylinder. You may have noticed that the equation above is the cylinder volume formula multiplied by the number of cylinders, being the stroke length and cylinder height equivalent quantities to each other. Visit our cylinder volume calculator and compare the equations.

And that's it (for now). Hopefully, now you have a sounder understanding of the equations behind this cubic centimeters (cc) calculator.

Luis Hoyos
Number of cylinders
Bore diameter
in
Stroke length
in
Engine displacement
cu in
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