I'm restoring my '88 LX 5.0. Got the engine bits machined and I'm now getting ready to assemble the engine.

My question is what parts of the engine originally got painted? And what color?

I can tell that the oil pan and timing cover were painted a medium grey color. I assume this was with the engine already assembled, but I don't recall seeing any grey paint on the block (although it was covered with grease and I unfortunately didn't pay attention to this way back when i tore it down).

So wondering if anyone knows how much of the engine was actually painted in this grey color? Shortblock? Longblock (with heads)?

Thanks!

 

My 87 and 89 had engine blocks and heads that were natural cast iron and not painted when new. The valve covers were natural aluminum as well. The intake was a clear coated and most of tne brackets and pulleys were a semigloss black. Early on in the mid 80's I remember reading that Ford was using a clearcoat on the assembled blocks and heads and for a restoration, that might not be a bad idea.

 

Thx.

Yep, for sure all of the natural cast stuff will get painted with urethane clear.

It just seems odd to me that the oil pan and front cover would have been painted grey, but the block not...

 

My 91 LX had the engine painted light gray, although it washed off over time to a natural finish.

 

They are painted gray from the factory. Easy to see leaks. But I paint my blocks black, front cover natural, and get the brackets, oil pan, dipstick, and valve covers powder coated black.

 

1988 was the first year to have painted valve covers and plentum, they were gray. The early blocks received paint as the later ones around 1990 didn't to save costs.