Converting of engine oil from liters to kilograms. Online calculator

The weight of machine (engine or transmission) oil depends on the group chemical composition. Its weight is determined by the density of the substance in a volume unit (kg/m3). The density of oil is determined by pycnometer at +20 ° C, as it directly depends on the temperature — the higher it is, the density of the oil product is lower.

To convert liters (liters) of engine oil in kilograms (kg) or vice versa one should refer to the density value, which can be found in the table (average value) or in the specifications provided by the lubricant manufacturer (exact data). If the oil temperature differs from the specified value, a correction factor should be used.

How much does 1 liter of motor oil weigh?

The ratio of weight to volume of oil is determined by its density. But this parameter, as well as viscosity, will strongly depend on temperature, so in order to precisely translate liters of engine oil into kilograms it is necessary to measure it at room temperature. But you should also take into account the fact that the density will vary depending on the quantity and quality of additives, and if you want to convert liters/ton of waste oil in kg, the density parameters will also change due to the impurities of wear products and sludge (increases by 4 — 6%).

To determine what is the weight of 1 liter of oil density formula is used: ρ = m / V, where p — density (kg / m³); m — mass (kilograms); V — volume (m³).

On average 1 liter of engine oil will be equal to 0,850… 0,910 grams depending on its density.

Density table of motor oils

The density of motor oil varies between 0.84 and 0.91 kg/l, depending on the SAE classification and kinematic viscosity (cSt), and is rather unstable and drops with increasing temperature.

Density of most synthetic oils, depending on viscosity
SAE engine oil grade	Density, kg/l
SAE engine oil grade	at 20 ⁰C	at 100 ⁰С	at 120 ⁰С
0w40	0,842…0,858	0,766…0,773	0,739…0,743
5w30	0,863…0,868	0,781…0,786	0,762…0,770
5w40	0,867…0,872	0,775…0,781	0,751…0,757
10w30	0,865…0,868	0,801…0,808	0,792…0,800
10w40	0,865…0,870	0,810…0,817	0,801…0,804
15w40	0,910…0,915	0,863…0,871	0,853…0,860
20w50	0,872…0,880	0,835…0,842	0,822..0,831

Semi-synthetic motor oil has a 3 to 7 % higher density than pure synthetic oil.

Note that the higher the temperature of the oil, the lighter it is in the same volume! So, to convert motor oil from liters to kg or from kilograms to liters, consider the temperature and use a correction if it differs from the benchmark of 20 degrees Celsius.

If the temperature of the petroleum product is higher than +20⁰C, the correction value should be subtracted, and if lower, it should be added to the density given in the specifications. The correction factor is applied to each degree of temperature difference.

The correction factor for a one-degree change from the laboratory value, a single oil with a known density will differ and range from 0.000867 with a density of 0.739 kg/l to 0.00062 with a density of 0.915 kg/l.

Density correction factors

Table of Density Correction Factors when Changing Oil Temperature
Density kg/l at 20 °C	Temperature correction factor per 1⁰C	Density kg/l at 20°C⁰	Temperature correction factor 1⁰C
0,650-0,659	0,000962	0,8300-0,8399	0,000725
0,660-0,669	0,000949	0,8400-0,8499	0,000712
0,670-0,679	0,000936	0,8500-0,8599	0,000699
0,6800-0,6890	0,000925	0,8600-0,8699	0,000686
0,6900-0,6999	0,000910	0,8700-0,8799	0,000673
0,7000-0,7099	0,000897	0,8800-0,8899	0,000660
0,7100-0,7199	0,000884	0,8900-0,8999	0,000647
0,7200-0,7299	0,000870	0,9000-0,9099	0,000633
0,7300-0,7399	0,000857	0,9100-0,9199	0,000620
0,7400-0,7499	0,000844	0,9200-0,9299	0,000607
0,7500-0,7599	0,000831	0,9300-0,9399	0,000594
0,7600-0,7699	0,000818	0,9400-0,9499	0,000581
0,7700-0,7799	0,000805	0,9500-0,9599	0,000567
0,7800-0,7899	0,000792	0,9600-0,9699	0,000554
0,7900-0,7999	0,000778	0,9700-0,9799	0,000541
0,8000-0,8099	0,000765	0,9800-0,9899	0,000528
0,8100-0,8199	0,000752	0,9900-1,000	0,000515
0,8200-0,8299	0,000738

How do I convert motor oil to kilograms or liters?

In order to determine the exact weight of one liter of oil or conversely to convert kg to liters you need to know the density data of the tested product. When converting units of measurement, the formulas are used: m = p * V and V = m / p.

Thus, on the average: 1 kg of oil equals 1.09 liters; a 4-litre canister will weigh 3.5 kg, and if you convert a 200-litre barrel from liters, it will weigh 180 kg.

Table of oil translation from liters to kg

Conversion of amount and weight of motor oils
SAE viscosity	kg in 1 liter	Liter to 1 kg
0w40	0,85	1,17
5w30	0,86	1,16
5w40	0,87	1,15
10w30	0,87	1,15
10w40	0,86	1,16
15w40	0,91	1,10
20w50	0,88	1,14

The denser the oil, the less the weight and volume dependence on temperature conditions.

Why use oil conversion in kg?

Our online oil to liter conversion calculator lets you know what is the weight in kilograms or tons of any other kind of oil, fuel and other lubricants. Or vice versa, to understand how many liters of raw materials should be at a certain weight.

Such conversion may be required not only for reporting by organizations dealing with fuels and lubricants or transportation companies, but also for ordinary car owners. How?

As an additional indicator of the need to change the oil. After all, the weight of one liter will change by 4 — 7% in the process of wear and tear over 1-2 years. And if you focus on the average density indicator, weighing still fresh oil you can determine its quality. Low-quality engine oil may contain harmful additives, due to which it will have a higher density and thus a greater weight. Or vice versa, due to an insufficient amount of additives for a particular type of oil, the weight will be less than it should be according to the characteristics specified by the manufacturer.

In technical documentation of quality lubricant there are declared characteristics, among which there are not only viscosity, temperature, pH and ash content, but also the density at 20°C (kg/l or kg/m3)!

And also, knowing the fact that the volume of oil increases when heated, some suppliers, during the filling in cans on the filling line, heated grease and poured it exactly by the liters, rather than weighing. As a result, the canister of oil on the counter will stand squeezed and a few grams lighter, because, in fact, it will not be filled. A single buyer won't notice several milliliters shortage, but on a general scale of production the difference is significant. Therefore by weighing such oil and using a conversion calculator such a shortage will be revealed.

How to use the calculator to convert motor oil from liters to kg?

By default you can find out how much 1 liter of oil weighs in kg, and in order to make your own conversion of oil in kg or liters you need to fill the fields with the necessary data or select the average value if you want to convert units of measurement of the amount of motor oil.

Enter the volume in liters or the weight in kg/ton (you can set the required unit of measure yourself);
Choose viscosity by clicking on it if you want to convert the engine oil (the average value of density will be used, and it will be displayed in the «field Density at +20°С») or enter your value of oil density, if you know it (you may choose kg/l or leave kg/m3, depending on which unit it is displayed in), which should be according to the reference data of the characteristics;
If the temperature of oil (or other liquid fuel) differs from the nominal laboratory value, then in the field «temperature correction» write (or set with arrows up and down) your value of difference (how many degrees more or less);
Mark which (fresh or used) oil is to be recalculated. By default, the calculator makes the conversion in kg or liters, focusing on the new engine oil without work in the engine, but during the operation its indicators change and in the case of used oil you need to take into account the correction. If it is required to convert from liters to kilograms (and reverse conversion) of another type of grease or fuel, the checkbox is left by default.

After all these settings, you will immediately see how many kilograms a certain amount of liters of oil or other combustible lubricant weighs.

FAQ

How much does a liter of oil weigh?

A liter of 5w30 viscosity synthetic motor oil with a density of 863 kg/m³ is 0.86 kg. If the density is higher, for example between 910 and 940 kg/m³ due to the presence of additives, a liter of engine oil will accordingly weigh more, up to 940 grams. The average weight of a liter of vegetable oil at room temperature is 925 grams, which varies according to the crops from which it has been squeezed.

When weighing it is worth remembering that, depending on the temperature of the environment, the density of oil may vary, so in order to more accurately calculate how much weighs 1 liter of oil, whether it is motor, sunflower or vegetable, consider the factor of correction. Every +10 degrees Celsius from the nominal value at which the density is measured in the laboratory (+20 ° C), will make each kilogram of oil 10 grams lighter.
How much does a liter of 5w40 engine oil weigh?

A liter of 5w40 engine oil whose density is in the range of 867...872 kg/m3 weighs 870 grams. But this is an average figure, as there are synthetic oils 5w-40, which weigh 910 grams. The final result of weighing will depend on the density of the oil of a particular brand. The weight of such engine oil in the package, as a rule, is 955 grams.
How much does 5 liters of oil weigh?

The average weight of an oil in a 5-litre can. Consists of 4,55 kg. You may know exactly how much 5 liters of oil weighs only by finding out the specific weight (density) of the fluid you are interested in. For example, motor oil with a density of 910 kg/m3 weighs exactly 4 kg 550 grams without taking into account the weight of the canister itself. Sunflower oil is heavier, at 4.65 grams, because it has a density of 0.930 kilograms per liter.
How much does 200 liters of oil weigh?

A 200-liter barrel of 0W40 viscosity machine oil with an average density of 852 kg/m3 would weigh 170 kg, not including the weight of the container itself. On average, the net weight of both motor oil and sunflower oil with a density of 930 kg/m³ at normal atmospheric pressure (760 mm Hg) is 186 kg.
How much does a 208-liter barrel of oil weigh?

A 208-liter oil drum is equal to 55 gallons by U.S. standard. Most engine oils for diesel engines come in exactly 208 liters. How much an iron drum of oil weighs 208 liters will depend on its viscosity, and more specifically the density it has. So, the weight of such oil volume will be from 180 if it is synthetic and up to 190 kilograms of semisynthetic 15W40 or transmission oil 75W-90. The weight of one empty such metal barrel is from 18 to 25 kg, that is why in the characteristics of the oil they often write that a barrel of oil of 208 liters weighs 208 kilograms, meaning the total weight, not the net weight.