Engine Calculations

Displacement, Compression Ratio,

Horsepower, Torque
Displacement
The volume of the cylinder between
the top dead center and bottom dead
center positions of the piston
Does not include the combustion chamber
or other non swept space in the cylinder

Displacement Formula
Cylinder displacement
CID = ( )
2
x 3.14 x Stroke
Engine displacement
Cylinder Displacement x Number of Cylinders
Displacement conversions
In
3
x 16.4 = cm
3
(ccs)
Cm
3
divided by 1000 = Liters
Bore
2
Example
Bore = 4.030
Stroke = 3.48
8 cylinder engine
CID = ( )
2
x 3.14 x 3.48
CID = (2.015)
2
x 3.14 x 3.48
CID = 4.060 x 3.14 x 3.48
CID = 44.367 in
3
44.367 in
3
x 8 cylinders =354.9 in
3
4.030
2
Example Cont
354.9 in
3
x 16.4 = 5820 cm
3
5820 cm
3
divided by 1000 = 5.8 Liters

Compression Ratio
The ratio between
the volume of the
cylinder at BDC
and the volume of
the cylinder at
TDC

Compression Ratio Formula
Compression ratio = V
1
+ V
2
+V
3
+V
4
V
2
+V
3
+V
4
V
1
= Cylinder displacement volume
V
2
= Deck clearance volume

V
3
= Head gasket volume

V
4
= Combustion chamber volume



Example
.010 Deck clearance
.041 Compressed head gasket thickness
64 cc combustion chamber
(64cc / 16.4 = 3.90 in
3
)
44.367 in
3
+ .127 in
3
+ .523 in
3
+ 3.90 in
3
.127 in
3
+ .523 in
3
+ 3.90 in
3
10.75:1 Compression ratio
Engine Factors Affecting
Compression Ratio
Piston design
Head design (flat top, dish, dome, valve reliefs)
Compression height distance from the centerline of the
piston pin to the top of the piston
Ring height
Deck height distance from the centerline of the main journals
to the block deck surface
Bore
Stroke
Combustion chamber size
Valve head design (flat, dished, domed)
Head gasket thickness (and design)
Torque
Twisting force
Measured in lb/ft

Horsepower
Calculated from torque and RPM
measurements
One horsepower is the power needed to lift
550 pounds one foot in one second
Horsepower = Torque x RPM
5252
Horsepower and torque values are always
the same at 5252 RPMs