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Engine Displacement Formula:
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Engine displacement is the total volume of all the cylinders in an internal combustion engine. It represents the swept volume of all pistons moving from top dead center to bottom dead center and is a key indicator of engine size and potential power output.
The calculator uses the displacement formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the volume of a single cylinder (πB²S/4) and multiplies by the number of cylinders to get total engine displacement.
Details: Engine displacement is crucial for understanding engine performance characteristics, fuel efficiency, emissions, and is often used in racing classifications and vehicle regulations.
Tips: Enter bore diameter and stroke length in inches, and the number of cylinders. All values must be positive numbers with bore and stroke greater than zero, and cylinders must be at least 1.
Q1: Why is displacement measured in cubic inches?
A: Cubic inches is a traditional unit for engine displacement, particularly in American automotive applications. Other common units include liters (1 liter = 61.02 cubic inches) and cubic centimeters.
Q2: How does bore/stroke ratio affect engine performance?
A: Engines with larger bore relative to stroke (oversquare) typically favor higher RPM operation, while engines with longer stroke relative to bore (undersquare) favor low-end torque.
Q3: Can I use metric measurements?
A: This calculator uses inches. For metric inputs, convert to inches first (1 cm = 0.3937 inches, 1 mm = 0.03937 inches).
Q4: What's the relationship between displacement and power?
A: Generally, larger displacement engines can produce more power, but actual power output depends on many factors including engine design, fuel system, and forced induction.
Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The formula provides theoretical displacement. Actual displacement may vary slightly due to manufacturing tolerances and combustion chamber design.