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What is a cubic inch?

Used for US V8 engine displacement and US firearms specifications

Definition

The cubic inch equals 16.387 cubic centimetres. Used in US automotive engineering for engine displacement (e.g., "350 cubic inch V8 = 5.7 L") and in firearms (bullet cartridges). Most of the rest of the world uses cc or litres.

Common uses

  • Classic US car engine displacement
  • Firearms chamber and cartridge specs
  • Some US machining and mould design

🌍 Real-world scale

350 cu in V8 = 5.7 L engine. 302 cu in Ford V8 = 4.9 L. Modern specs typically give litres.

Convert from cubic inches

14 conversions
Cubic Inch to Liter1 in³ = 0.01639 LCubic Inch to Milliliter1 in³ = 16.3871 mlCubic Inch to Cubic Meter1 in³ = 1.6387e-5 m³Cubic Inch to US Gallon1 in³ = 0.004329 gal (US)Cubic Inch to UK Gallon1 in³ = 0.003605 gal (UK)Cubic Inch to Fluid Ounce1 in³ = 0.5541 fl ozCubic Inch to Cup1 in³ = 0.06828 cupCubic Inch to Pint1 in³ = 0.03463 ptCubic Inch to Quart1 in³ = 0.01732 qtCubic Inch to Tablespoon1 in³ = 1.10723 tbspCubic Inch to Teaspoon1 in³ = 3.32468 tspCubic Inch to Barrel1 in³ = 0.0001031 bblCubic Inch to Cubic Foot1 in³ = 0.0005787 ft³Cubic Inch to Cubic Yard1 in³ = 2.1433e-5 yd³

Convert to cubic inches

14 conversions
Liter to Cubic Inch1 L = 61.0237 in³Milliliter to Cubic Inch1 ml = 0.06102 in³Cubic Meter to Cubic Inch1 m³ = 61,023.74 in³US Gallon to Cubic Inch1 gal (US) = 231 in³UK Gallon to Cubic Inch1 gal (UK) = 277.419 in³Fluid Ounce to Cubic Inch1 fl oz = 1.80469 in³Cup to Cubic Inch1 cup = 14.6457 in³Pint to Cubic Inch1 pt = 28.875 in³Quart to Cubic Inch1 qt = 57.75 in³Tablespoon to Cubic Inch1 tbsp = 0.9032 in³Teaspoon to Cubic Inch1 tsp = 0.3008 in³Barrel to Cubic Inch1 bbl = 9,702 in³Cubic Foot to Cubic Inch1 ft³ = 1,728 in³Cubic Yard to Cubic Inch1 yd³ = 46,656 in³

Tips

  • 1 in³ = 16.387 cm³ exactly.
  • To convert cubic inches to litres, divide by 61.02.
  • US automotive ads today quote both cu in and L for classic cars.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing in³ with in² or linear inches.
  • Using 16 instead of 16.387 on precision machining.
  • Assuming modern European engines are marked in cu in — they are always in L or cc.

FAQ about the cubic inch

What is a cubic inch?
The cubic inch equals 16.387 cubic centimetres. Used in US automotive engineering for engine displacement (e.g., "350 cubic inch V8 = 5.7 L") and in firearms (bullet cartridges). Most of the rest of the world uses cc or litres.
Where is the cubic inch used?
The cubic inch is commonly used for: Classic US car engine displacement; Firearms chamber and cartridge specs; Some US machining and mould design.
What is an example of a cubic inch in real life?
350 cu in V8 = 5.7 L engine. 302 cu in Ford V8 = 4.9 L. Modern specs typically give litres.
What category does the cubic inch belong to?
The cubic inch is a unit of volume, part of the 15-unit volume category on UnitConv.
How accurate are cubic inch conversions?
All conversion factors follow NIST and BIPM international standards to 8 significant figures — the highest practical accuracy.
Explore all 15 volume units and their conversions.🧪 Volume hub →