🔧 Engine Displacement Calculator
Enter the bore, stroke and number of cylinders to get the engine’s displacement in litres, cubic centimetres and cubic inches.
Displacement
2 L
1998 cc
Cubic inches
121.9 ci
Per cylinder
500 cc
Displacement = π⁄4 × bore² × stroke × cylinders. A “square” engine has bore = stroke; oversquare (bore > stroke) tends to rev higher. 1 litre = 61.02 cubic inches. 🔒 In your browser.
How the engine displacement calculator works
Each cylinder is a cylinder in the geometric sense, so its swept volume is π⁄4 × bore² × stroke. Multiply by the number of cylinders for the total displacement. The tool works in millimetres or inches and shows the result in litres, cc and cubic inches, plus the per-cylinder volume.
Bore is the cylinder’s diameter and stroke is how far the piston travels. A “square” engine has equal bore and stroke; an oversquare (bore larger than stroke) engine tends to rev higher, while an undersquare (long-stroke) design favours low-end torque.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate engine displacement?
Displacement = π⁄4 × bore² × stroke × number of cylinders. With bore and stroke in millimetres you get cubic millimetres; divide by 1,000 for cc. For example, an 86 mm bore and 86 mm stroke four-cylinder is about 1,998 cc (2.0 litres).
What is bore and stroke?
Bore is the diameter of each cylinder; stroke is the distance the piston travels from bottom to top. Together with the cylinder count they determine the engine’s displacement.
How many cubic inches is a 2.0 litre engine?
About 122 cubic inches — one litre is 61.02 cubic inches, so 2.0 L × 61.02 ≈ 122 ci. The tool shows litres, cc and cubic inches at once.
What is an oversquare vs undersquare engine?
Oversquare means the bore is larger than the stroke — such engines can rev higher and often make peak power up top. Undersquare (long-stroke) engines have more stroke than bore and tend to produce strong low-end torque.
Does bigger displacement mean more power?
Generally more displacement can move more air and fuel, so more potential power — but tuning, forced induction, RPM and efficiency matter enormously. A small turbocharged engine can out-power a larger naturally-aspirated one.