WHP to HP Calculator

Convert wheel horsepower to engine (crank) horsepower using drivetrain loss.

WHP to HP Calculator
RESULT

A chassis dyno measures wheel horsepower (WHP), but engine specs are quoted in crank horsepower. This calculator converts your dyno's wheel figure back to crank power by adding the drivetrain loss.

Quick answer: Crank HP = WHP ÷ (1 − loss). 300 WHP with 15% loss equals about 353 crank HP.

WHP to HP Formula

Formula
Crank HP = WHP ÷ (1 − loss fraction)
Typical loss: 10% FWD, 15% RWD, 20–25% AWD.

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter wheel horsepower from your dyno sheet.
  2. Set drivetrain loss % for your layout.
  3. Read estimated crank horsepower.

Worked Example

Worked Example
Crank HP = 300 ÷ (1 − 0.15)
= 300 ÷ 0.85 = 353 HP

For the opposite direction, see the wheel horsepower calculator, and read wheel HP vs crank HP for the full explanation.

calchorsepower.com Engineering Team
Automotive & mechanical calculation specialists

This calculator uses standard published formulas, verified against known input/output pairs.

✓ Formula verified

Frequently Asked Questions

Divide wheel horsepower by (1 minus the drivetrain loss fraction). For 15% loss, divide by 0.85.

Roughly 10% for FWD, 15% for RWD, and 20–25% for AWD. Automatics tend to lose a little more than manuals.

The drivetrain absorbs power through friction before it reaches the wheels, so the crank figure is always higher than what the dyno reads at the wheels.

It's an approximation. Real losses vary with transmission type, temperature, and even tire and roller friction on the dyno.

Crank (flywheel) horsepower, measured on an engine dyno before drivetrain losses.