Cubic Inch to Cubic Centimeter Converter
Convert between cubic inches and cubic centimeters with precision. Includes additional volume unit conversions for liters, cubic feet, and gallons.
Cubic Inch to Cubic Centimeter Converter
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Formula: cm³ = in³ × 16.387064
Worked example — 350 in³ = 5,735.47 cm³ = 5.735 L
Formula
cm³ = in³ × 16.387064
One cubic inch equals exactly 16.387064 cubic centimeters. This is derived from the linear relationship where 1 inch = 2.54 cm, cubed: 2.54^3 = 16.387064.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Engine Displacement Conversion
Problem:Convert a classic 350 cubic inch V8 engine displacement to cubic centimeters and liters.
Solution:Cubic centimeters = 350 x 16.387064 = 5,735.47 cc Liters = 5,735.47 / 1000 = 5.735 liters This is commonly marketed as a 5.7L engine.
Result:350 in³ = 5,735.47 cm³ = 5.735 L
Example 2: 3D Printing Volume Estimation
Problem:A 3D-printed part has a volume of 24.5 cubic inches. How many cubic centimeters of filament material is needed?
Solution:Cubic centimeters = 24.5 x 16.387064 = 401.48 cm³ This equals 401.48 milliliters of material volume. At typical PLA density of 1.24 g/cm³, mass = 401.48 x 1.24 = 497.84 grams.
Result:24.5 in³ = 401.48 cm³ (approximately 497.84 g of PLA)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the exact conversion factor from cubic inches to cubic centimeters?
One cubic inch is exactly equal to 16.387064 cubic centimeters. This conversion factor is derived from the definition of one inch being exactly 2.54 centimeters. When you cube this linear relationship (2.54 x 2.54 x 2.54), you get 16.387064. This is an exact value, not an approximation, because the inch is defined precisely in terms of centimeters. This conversion is critical in automotive engineering where engine displacement is often listed in both cubic inches and cubic centimeters (or liters). For example, a classic 350 cubic inch engine equals approximately 5,735 cc or 5.7 liters.
Why is cubic inch to cubic centimeter conversion important in automotive engineering?
Engine displacement is one of the most fundamental measurements in automotive engineering, and it is commonly expressed in both cubic inches and cubic centimeters depending on the region and era. American muscle cars traditionally used cubic inches, such as the famous 427, 454, and 350 cubic inch engines. Meanwhile, European and Asian manufacturers use cubic centimeters or liters. Converting between these units is essential when comparing engine specifications across different manufacturers, ordering replacement parts, understanding performance data, and complying with emissions regulations that may reference displacement in either unit system.
How do I convert cubic inches to liters?
To convert cubic inches to liters, first convert cubic inches to cubic centimeters by multiplying by 16.387064, then divide by 1000 since there are 1000 cubic centimeters in one liter. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut of multiplying cubic inches by 0.016387064 to get liters directly. For example, a 302 cubic inch engine equals 302 x 0.016387 = 4.949 liters, commonly rounded to 5.0 liters. This relationship is particularly useful when shopping for vehicles internationally, as some markets list displacement in liters while others use cubic inches or cubic centimeters.
What are common applications of cubic volume conversion beyond automotive?
Cubic inch to cubic centimeter conversion is used extensively in manufacturing, 3D printing, medical devices, and packaging industries. In manufacturing, material volume calculations determine raw material requirements and costs. 3D printing software often requires volume in cubic centimeters to estimate filament usage and print time. Medical device specifications frequently require precise volume measurements in metric units for regulatory compliance. Packaging engineers convert between these units when designing containers for international markets. Scientific research involving fluid displacement, specimen volume measurement, and laboratory equipment calibration also relies heavily on accurate volume conversions between imperial and metric systems.
What is the difference between cubic centimeters and milliliters?
Cubic centimeters (cc or cm cubed) and milliliters (mL) are effectively identical in volume for all practical purposes. By definition, one milliliter equals exactly one cubic centimeter. This equivalence was established by the International Committee for Weights and Measures in 1964. In medical contexts, you will often see cc used interchangeably with mL when measuring medication dosages, syringe volumes, and IV fluid rates. In automotive contexts, engine displacement is typically expressed in cc rather than mL, even though the values are identical. This interchangeability simplifies many calculations since converting cubic inches to cubic centimeters automatically gives you the value in milliliters as well.
How is engine displacement calculated from bore and stroke?
Displacement is the swept volume of one cylinder multiplied by the number of cylinders: pi divided by 4, times bore squared, times stroke, times cylinder count. A V8 with a 4.00 inch bore and a 3.48 inch stroke gives 0.7854 x 16 x 3.48 = 43.73 cubic inches per cylinder, and 43.73 x 8 is about 350 cubic inches. Multiplying by 16.387064 puts that at roughly 5,735 cubic centimeters, the familiar 5.7 liter figure.
How do I convert cubic inches into US gallons or fluid ounces?
One US gallon is defined as exactly 231 cubic inches, so divide cubic inches by 231 for gallons. A US fluid ounce is one hundred twenty-eighth of that, or 1.8046875 cubic inches, so divide cubic inches by 1.8046875 for fluid ounces. A 462 cubic inch tank therefore holds exactly 2 US gallons. These exact relationships mean fuel, fluid and container capacities can be moved between the volume and the liquid measure families with no rounding error at all.
Why do small measurement errors matter more for volume than for length?
Volume scales with the cube of a linear dimension, so a fractional error in each measured side compounds roughly three times over in the result. Overstating each edge of a part by 1 percent inflates the computed volume by about 3 percent, because 1.01 cubed is 1.0303. Cylinder volume is even more sensitive to bore than to stroke, since bore enters squared. Measure the dimension that appears at the highest power most carefully, and round only at the end.
How do I turn a cubic centimeter volume into a mass?
Multiply the volume by the material density, which for solids is normally tabulated in grams per cubic centimeter, so the units cancel directly to grams. A part of 401.48 cubic centimeters in aluminium at 2.70 g per cubic centimeter masses 401.48 x 2.70 = 1,084 grams. The same part printed in PLA at about 1.24 g per cubic centimeter would be near 498 grams. Because cubic centimeters and milliliters are equal, liquid densities in g per mL work in exactly the same way.
How do cubic inches, cubic feet and cubic centimeters relate to each other?
A foot is 12 inches, so a cubic foot is 12 cubed, or 1,728 cubic inches. Multiplying 1,728 by 16.387064 cubic centimeters per cubic inch gives about 28,316.85 cubic centimeters in a cubic foot, which is also 28.31685 liters. Working through cubic inches is often the cleanest route from a boxed measurement in inches to a metric volume, because the only exact factors involved are 1,728 and the cube of 2.54.
References
Background & Theory
1 cubic inch = 16.387064 cubic centimetres exactly, and 1 litre = 61.0237441 cubic inches. The exact figure is simply 2.54 cubed, since the inch is defined as exactly 2.54 cm.
Conversion reference table
| Conversion | Equivalent | Exact or rounded? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic inch | 16.387064 cubic centimetres | Exact by definition |
| 1 cubic centimetre | 0.0610237441 cubic inches | Derived, rounded |
| 1 litre (1,000 cc) | 61.0237441 cubic inches | Derived, rounded |
| 1 cubic foot (1,728 cu in) | 28,316.846592 cubic centimetres | Exact |
| 350 cubic inches | 5,735.47 cc (a 5.7 litre engine) | Derived |
| 1 US gallon | 231 cubic inches = 3.785411784 litres | Exact |
Engine displacement is the classic use: a 350 cubic-inch V8 is 5,735 cc, which manufacturers round to 5.7 litres, and a 1,000 cc motorcycle is 61.0 cubic inches. Because volume scales as the cube of length, a one percent error in a bore or stroke measurement becomes about three percent in the displacement, so cylinder dimensions should be converted before cubing rather than after.
Reviewed for accuracy by Manoj Kumar, Mathematics Educator · Editorial policy
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