Gallons to cubic centimeters (gal to cm³) converter

What is a gallons to cubic centimeters converter?

A gallons to cubic centimeters converter is an online tool that translates a volume expressed in gallons into the equivalent number of cubic centimeters (cm³), and the other way around. Gallons belong to the US customary system and are most often used for liquids such as fuel, paint, and beverages, while the cubic centimeter is a metric unit favoured in science, medicine, and engine specifications. Because these units come from two different measurement systems, a quick conversion is invaluable whenever you move data from an American spec sheet into metric calculations.

One cubic centimeter is exactly equal to one milliliter, so the figures you get here double as gallons-to-milliliter results. This makes the converter handy for everything from sizing engine displacement (often quoted in “cc”) to scaling laboratory volumes.

How it works

A US gallon is a fixed multiple of a cubic centimeter, so the conversion is a simple multiplication. By definition, one US gallon equals 3785.411784 cubic centimeters, which rounds to 3785.41 cm³ for everyday use. To go from gallons to cubic centimeters you multiply by this factor; to reverse the process you divide by it (or multiply by its reciprocal, roughly 0.000264).

Enter a value into either field of the converter and the opposite field updates automatically. You can also switch the unit menus to work with quarts, liters, or milliliters, since they all describe the same physical quantity: volume.

Formula

$\text{cm}^3 = \text{US gal} \times 3785.41$

$\text{US gal} = \text{cm}^3 \times 0.000264172$

Gallons to cubic centimeters conversion table

The table below lists common gallon amounts alongside their cubic centimeter equivalents, using the US gallon factor of 3785.41.

Examples

Example 1: One gallon of coolant

You buy a single US gallon of engine coolant and want to know its volume in cubic centimeters for a metric service sheet. Multiply by the conversion factor:

$1 \text{ gal} \times 3785.41 = 3785.41 \text{ cm}^3$

Example 2: Two gallons of solution

A laboratory protocol calls for 2 US gallons of a prepared solution, but the mixing vessel is graduated in cubic centimeters:

$2 \text{ gal} \times 3785.41 = 7570.82 \text{ cm}^3$

Example 3: Cubic centimeters back to gallons

Suppose a container holds 3785.41 cm³ of liquid and you need that figure in gallons. Divide by the factor (or multiply by 0.000264172):

$3785.41 \text{ cm}^3 \times 0.000264172 = 1 \text{ gal}$

Notes

• This converter uses the US liquid gallon. The UK (Imperial) gallon is larger, at about 4546.09 cm³, so be sure you know which gallon a source uses.
• A cubic centimeter (cm³) and a milliliter (mL) are identical in size, so any cm³ result is also a value in milliliters.
• For very large or very small volumes the converter keeps full precision internally, even though the table above shows rounded figures.

Frequently asked questions

How many cubic centimeters are in one US gallon?

One US gallon equals 3785.41 cubic centimeters (more precisely, 3785.411784 cm³). Multiply any number of gallons by this factor to get the volume in cm³.

Is a cubic centimeter the same as a milliliter?

Yes. One cubic centimeter is exactly one milliliter, so 1 US gallon is also about 3785.41 milliliters. You can read the cm³ result as mL without any further calculation.

How do I convert cubic centimeters back to gallons?

Divide the number of cubic centimeters by 3785.41, or multiply it by 0.000264172. For example, 7570.82 cm³ divided by 3785.41 gives 2 US gallons.

Does this converter use US or UK gallons?

It uses the US liquid gallon. If you are working with UK (Imperial) gallons, the factor is larger, roughly 4546.09 cm³ per gallon, so the same number of gallons will yield a higher cm³ value.

Why do car engines quote volume in “cc”?

“cc” is shorthand for cubic centimeters, the standard metric unit for engine displacement. A 2000 cc engine, for instance, has a displacement of about 0.53 US gallons, which is why converting between the two units is useful for comparing specifications.