Engine Paint Color Question

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

HotWheelsBurban

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2023
Posts
2,395
Reaction score
5,646
Location
Houston, Texas
First Name
Carol
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
R2500 Suburban
Engine Size
350
I want to say that our '84 Burb had a blue engine. I know the '90 had a black one; both 350s. I think the '79 had a black one, but it had a Target Master engine so it was whatever color those came in the '80s....
 
Last edited:

74Blaze

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2022
Posts
151
Reaction score
575
Location
Nashville, IN
First Name
Gerald
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
K5/Blazer
Engine Size
350
My GM crate motor was black when it arrived at my house. Old Chevy small blocks need to be orange or they're not happy. This is what it looked like after I installed it and a recent picture
You must be registered for see images attach
.
You must be registered for see images attach
 
Last edited:

MPWILSON33

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2021
Posts
8
Reaction score
15
Location
Whitesburg
First Name
Michael
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
2500
Engine Size
350
I may be wrong but I had always heard the orange was for non emission, the blue was for the period of emissions before computer and black was for computer on. I have been lied to before.....
 

84GMCSierra

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2023
Posts
371
Reaction score
436
Location
Central Arizona
First Name
Paul
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C2500
Engine Size
350
My current crate engine is black, but I'm getting a replacement engine, and having my mechanic paint it GM Blue, that I found on Amazon. All my GM trucks, 65 Chevy II, and an old 69 GMC Handi-Van all had orange engines. I want something different as this is my last vehicle
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20240930_122448705_AE.jpg
    IMG_20240930_122448705_AE.jpg
    119 KB · Views: 18
  • IMG_20240930_122501326_AE.jpg
    IMG_20240930_122501326_AE.jpg
    129 KB · Views: 16

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
30,438
Reaction score
28,336
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I may be wrong but I had always heard the orange was for non emission, the blue was for the period of emissions before computer and black was for computer on. I have been lied to before.....

Nah, someone has lied to you. Generally, that actually IS ballpark accurate though. Emissions came in on a lot of models when engines were still orange, but there were still heavier trucks (like my '78 C20) that had no emissions and were painted blue. And then on board computers came in when engines were still painted blue, but at the tail end of the blue.
 

74Blaze

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2022
Posts
151
Reaction score
575
Location
Nashville, IN
First Name
Gerald
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
K5/Blazer
Engine Size
350
Didn't Olds have some gold engines ?
Yep, and Pontiacs engines wore Blue.

Chevy Small Block = Turbo Fire --> Orange
Cvevy Big Block = Turbo Jet --> Orange
Buick = Wildcat --> Red
Olds = Rocket --> Gold
Pontiac = Tempest --> Blue

That's the way it was in the late 60's & early 70's
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,152
Posts
950,446
Members
36,268
Latest member
JUKA
Top