Calculate the average speed of a piston in an internal combustion engine.
Engine Parameters
Calculation Results
Enter stroke and RPM
About this calculator
Overview
Mean Piston Speed is the average speed of the piston as it moves from Top Dead Center to Bottom Dead Center and back. It is a critical factor in engine durability and performance.
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Pro Tips
Mean Piston Speed = 2 × Stroke × RPM.
Higher piston speeds increase friction and mechanical stress on the connecting rods.
Most production car engines peak at around 20-25 m/s mean piston speed.
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Fun Facts
"Formula 1 engines can reach mean piston speeds over 25 m/s, despite very short strokes."
"Piston speed is zero at the very top and bottom of the stroke."
"Peak piston speed is approximately 1.6 times the mean speed in a typical crank setup."
