The correlation dimension can provide some intrinsic Information of an underlying dynamic system by reconstructing measured nonlinear time series. The vibration signals measured from a rotor with different clearance sizes between shaft and bushing were analyzed using the correlation dimension. The results showed that the correlation dimension can identify the size of the clearance of a rotor and the lubricating condition, which can not be analyzed by frequency spectrum or wavelet. The magnitude of the correlation dimension became smaller as the clearance larger and as the lubrication condition better.