Appendix B

Viscosity Conversions

Unfortunately, the many units for expressing viscosity, the internal friction or stiffness of
a fluid, are quite confusing. The fundamental SI unit is the Pascal-second, Pa s (or the
equivalent Newton seconds/meter 2 ), while the reyns (pound force seconds/in2 ) is used
in engineering calculations employing British inch-pound-second units.
With most laboratory instruments, oil density provides the driving force for flow. Oil
efflux time is then proportional to kinematic viscosity, which is absolute viscosity divided
by density. The centistoke is the most common kinematic viscosity unit used in reporting oil
properties. The significance of viscosity and its units is reviewed further in Chapter 2, which
also discusses the sometimes dramatic influence of temperature, pressure and shear rates.

British in.-lb-s or
traditional unit

Multiply by this
conversion factor

To obtain this SI or
another unit

Dynamic or absolute viscosity (units: force time/area)

dyne s/cm2 (poise, P)
100 E01
cP (mPa s)
100 E03
lbf s/in2 (reyns)
6895 E + 03
lbmass /in s
1786 E + 01
P
1000 E + 02
cP
1450 E07
Pa.s
1450 E04

Pa s (also N s/m2 )
Pa s
Pa s
Pa s
cP
lbf s/in2 (reyns)
lbf s/in2 (reyns)

Kinematic viscosity (absolute viscosity/density)

1000 E04
cm2 /s (Stokes, St)
mm2 /s (centistokes, cSt)
1000 E06
in2 /s
6452 E04
cSt
1550 E03

m2 /s (preferred unit)
m2 /s
m2 /s
in2 /s
(continued overleaf)

Applied Tribology: Bearing Design and Lubrication, Second Edition.

2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-470-05711-7

M. M. Khonsari and E. R. Booser

Appendix B

556

(continued)
British in.-lb-s or
traditional unit

Multiply by this
conversion factor

To obtain this SI or
another unit

Kinematic to absolute viscosity conversions

cSt
1450 E07 density g/cm3 
cSt
density

lbf s/in2 (reyns)

cP

Absolute to kinematic viscosity conversions

Pa s
1000 E03/density g/cm3 
P (poise)
1/density
P
1000 E + 02/density
cP
1/density

m2 /s
St (Stoke)
cSt
cSt

Many viscosity data and specifications for lubricants are still supplied only in Saybolt
Universal Seconds (SUS): the efflux time in seconds for a test oil to drain down through a
specified capillary. At high viscosities (above about 215 SUS) these SUS values are directly
proportional to kinematic viscosity. At lower viscosities, entrance and exit flow losses
give higher efflux times. ASTM method D2161 gives detailed tables and equations for
conversions between SUS and kinematic viscosity values in centistokes. The following give
approximate conversions for several ranges (from Texaco Lubrication, Vol. 52(3), 1996).
cSt = 0224 SUS 185/SUS
cSt = 0223 SUS 155
cSt = 02158 SUS

For range from 34 to 115 SUS

For range from 115 to 215 SUS
Above 215 SUS