Engine Displacement Calculator — cc, Litres and Cubic Inches
Calculate the total swept volume (displacement) of a piston engine by entering the cylinder bore diameter, stroke length and number of cylinders. Results are shown in cubic centimetres (cc), litres and cubic inches — covering both metric and imperial specifications.
Bore and stroke unit
mm
mm
Engine swept volume (all cylinders combined)
1,998 cc
displacement- 1
Convert bore and stroke mm → cm
bore = 86 ÷ 10, stroke = 86 ÷ 10 = 8.6 cm, 8.6 cm - 2
Per-cylinder volume
(π ÷ 4) × 8.6² × 8.6 = 499.56 ccSwept volume of one cylinder — the volume of a cylinder with the given bore diameter and stroke length. - 3
Total displacement
499.56 × 4 cylinders = 1,998.2
How does this calculator work?
Engine displacement = (π/4) × bore² × stroke × cylinders. Enter bore diameter, stroke length (in mm or inches) and cylinder count to get the swept volume in cc, litres and cubic inches. A 86 mm bore × 86 mm stroke × 4 cylinders gives about 1 998 cc (2.0 L).
Formula
How this is calculated
Engine displacement is the total volume swept by all pistons as they move from bottom dead centre (BDC) to top dead centre (TDC) in one stroke. For a single cylinder, the swept volume is the volume of a cylinder: V_cyl = (π/4) × bore² × stroke. The bore is the internal diameter of the cylinder, and the stroke is the distance the piston travels. Multiplying by the number of cylinders gives the total engine displacement.
The result is most naturally expressed in cubic centimetres (cc) or millilitres (1 cc = 1 ml). Larger engines are typically quoted in litres (1 L = 1 000 cc). American V8 engines are often quoted in cubic inches (CID); 1 in³ = 16.387 cc, so a "350 CID" engine is approximately 5.7 litres.
Displacement is a key specification because it correlates with potential power output and torque: a larger swept volume can admit more air–fuel mixture per cycle. However, actual power depends on compression ratio, valve timing, fuel, turbocharging and engine management — displacement alone does not determine performance.
Frequently asked questions
Engine displacement is the total volume swept by all pistons during one complete stroke, measured in cc (cm³), litres or cubic inches. A 2.0 L engine has pistons that sweep 2 000 cc of volume per cycle. Larger displacement generally means more potential for power and torque.
Divide by 1 000: 1 litre = 1 000 cc. A 1 600 cc engine is 1.6 L. To convert cubic inches to cc, multiply by 16.387 (e.g. 350 CID × 16.387 ≈ 5 736 cc ≈ 5.7 L).
No. Displacement (swept volume) measures only the volume the piston sweeps through — from BDC to TDC. It does not include the clearance volume above the piston at TDC (the combustion chamber). Total cylinder volume = swept volume + clearance volume, and the compression ratio = total / clearance volume.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Engine Displacement Calculator — cc, Litres and Cubic Inches [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/engine-displacement-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Engine Displacement Calculator — cc, Litres and Cubic Inches." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/engine-displacement-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Engine Displacement Calculator — cc, Litres and Cubic Inches," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/engine-displacement-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_engine_displacement_calculator, title = {Engine Displacement Calculator — cc, Litres and Cubic Inches}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/engine-displacement-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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