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Appendix 2
Viscosity Conversion Factors
Compiled by Douglas Godfrey

Note: “E” (exponent) implies 10 raised to a power, for example:

2.000E + 03 = 2.000 × 10+3 = 2000
2.000E - 03 = 2.000 × 10-3 = 0.002
(f) = force.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
ON STYLE
Standard Practice for Use of the SI International System of Units, The Modern Metric
System, ASTM E380–93, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, 1993,
30–31.

ON VISCOSITY CONVERSIONS
1. Viscosity conversion, in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 62nd ed., Weast, R. C. and Astle,
M. J., Eds., 1981–1982, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1981-1982, F-41 [extensive list].
2. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 72nd ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1994.
3. Standard Practice for Conversion of Kinematic Viscosity to Saybolt Universal Viscosity or to
Saybolt Furol Viscosity, ASTM Designation D 2161–93, in ASTM 05.01 Petroleum Products and
Lubricants D56-D2596, ASTM, Philadelphia.
4. Alexander, D. L., Viscosity of lubricants, Lubrication, Vol. 78, No. 3, Texaco Inc., New York, 1992.
5. “Viscosity,” Lubrication, Vol. 52, No. 4, Texaco, Inc., New York, 1966.
6. Lindeburg, M. R., Engineering Unit Conversions, 3rd ed., Professional Publications, Belmont, CA, 1993
[156 entries of viscosity conversions].

OTHER VISCOSITY UNIT CONVERSIONS*

A viscosity determined in a particular viscometer at a specific temperature can be converted to
the equivalent viscosity which would have been obtained had the liquid been tested in some
other viscometer at the same temperature. For the most accurate conversion, the determination
temperature must be considered. Some of the wide variety of equations, tables, charts, and
nomographs which have been developed to facilitate such conversions are described in the fol-
lowing.

KINEMATIC VISCOSITY TO SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL AND FUROL

ASTM has recently issued a method, D 2161–63T, giving tables in a convenient form and equa-
tions for converting kinematic viscosity in centistokes at any temperature to Saybolt Universal
seconds (SUS) at the same temperature. Also, tables are included for converting kinematic vis-
cosity at 122 or 210°F to Saybolt Furol seconds at the same temperatures. A supplement to
method D 2161 was recently issued. This consists of a set of tables giving the viscosity of a
petroleum oil in Saybolt Universal seconds at 0°F obtained by extrapolating measured kine-
matic viscosities at 100 and 210°F down to 0°F. Extrapolated values are based on the assump-
tion that a strictly linear relationship exists between viscosity and temperature on the ASTM
Viscosity–Temperature charts of ASTM Method D 341.
Kinoshita** developed the following equation for converting kinematic viscosity v in centi-
stokes, determined at temperature t (°F) into Saybolt Universal seconds (SUS).

This equation is satisfactory for kinematic viscosities greater than 2 cSt and temperatures
between 70 and 300°F.

* Courtesy of Texaco magazine Lubrication, Vol. 52, No. 3, Texaco, Inc., New York, 1966. With permission.
** Kinoshita, M., J. Inst. Pet., 43, May 1957.

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KINEMATIC TO REDWOOD NO. 1 (STANDARD)

The following Kinoshita* equation for this conversion is highly accurate for kinematic viscosi-
ties above 3 centistokes and temperatures between 70 and 210°F.

KINEMATIC VISCOSITY TO ENGLER DEGREES

A table in the German Standard DIN 51 560, “Determination of Viscosity with the Engler
Apparatus,” gives the relationship between kinematic and Engler (degrees) viscosities.

CONVERSION OF “SHORT-TUBE” VISCOSITIES TO KINEMATIC VISCOSITY

The following five groups of equations provide approximate conversions of “short-tube” vis-
cosities to kinematic viscosities at the same temperature. In all cases “T” is the efflux time in
seconds and “v” is the desired kinematic viscosity in centistokes.

SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL SECONDS TO KINEMATIC

SAYBOLT FUROL SECONDS (SFS) TO KINEMATIC

REDWOOD NO. 1 (STANDARD) SECONDS TO KINEMATIC

REDWOOD NO. 2 (ADMIRALTY) SECONDS TO KINEMATIC

ENGLER DEGREES (E°) TO KINEMATIC

* Kinoshita, M., J. Inst. Pet., 43, May 1957.

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FIGURE 1 Viscosity conversion nomograph. Line up straight edge so centistoke value on both
kinematic scales is the same. Viscosities at the same temperature on all scales are then equivalent.
To extend range of only the kinematic, Saybolt Universal, Redwood No. 1 and Engler scales:
multiply by 10 the viscosities on these scales between 100 and 1000 centistokes on the kinemat-
ic scale and the corresponding viscosities on the other 3 scales. For further extension, multiply
these scales as above by 100 or a higher power of 10. (Example: 1500 centistokes = 150 × 10 cSt
≅ 695 × 10 SUS = 6950 SUS.) (Courtesy of Texaco magazine Lubrication, Vol. 52, No. 4, 1966.)

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FIGURE 2 Relationship between kinematic viscosity (cSt) and Saybolt Universal Seconds
(SUS). (Courtesy of Texaco magazine Lubrication, Vol. 78, No. 3, 1992.)

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