The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine paint colors

Pulled the 216 from my buddy’s all original 1951 3100 last Saturday. As we were loading it for the return trip to San Antonio I noticed the very back of the head was painted yellow. The color continued further down the motor. Once I clean up the motor I’d like to rattle-can paint it. I’ve never seen a yellow motor in a half ton before. Was this engine originally painted yellow? Thanks.

Supposedly, all 1951 216 engines were painted a blue-gray color.

When the engine got rebuilt, it could have been painted any color (at some time during its life).

Did you check the engine serial number/code to confirm it's really a 216? How about the head, is it correct for '51? The 261 was painted yellow around 1956 or 57...

Mike B

As you probably know, the Engine Serial Number is stamped into the block at the rear of the distributor.

57 261 was yellow.

I’ll make a note of the serial number and ask you guys to help ID it for me. I *never* suspected it was not original since my buddy is the grandson of the original owner and knows it very well, and the truck only has 22K miles on it. I hope the engine isn’t a replacement because the original failed.

Okay, I finally got the serial number off the motor and I’m posting it here hoping one of you will help me learn about my new-to-me donor motor........ JBAI2I8820

FYI.... those are “eyes”, not “ones”.

Thanks for helping me determine what I have here.

JBA indicates 1951 216 engine

The original color was a blue-gray color.
Here is a list of Chevrolet engine paint colors from 1912-1966.

You will never know why "the very back of the head was painted yellow".

Thanks Tim for dating my motor. Since it came from a 1951 3100, a 1951 date code is good news. Now for the bad news ......

When I got to the shop today the mechanic had already poured some solvent on the side of the motor and it revealed gold paint on the pushrod covers. He and I both agreed that we believe we are looking at a rebuilt motor! The yellow, and now gold paint, along with the heavy buildup of thick hard grease and dirt on both the motor and the transmission, add up to nothing less. And it’s a rebuilt motor with lots of miles on it to boot! So, we both agree that it would be a mistake to spend the time, effort, and $$$ to install it. I’m really disappointed.

I’m going back to my original plan of finding a good 235 motor and we will install that one instead.

Most used motors would be expected to be rebuilt since 1951.

It might be useable, as is, and/or it might be rebuildable. You seem to know that it has a lot of miles on it?

Of course, if it needs rebuilding, a high-pressure 235 would be a better choice.

It has so much crud on it that it has to have a lot of miles on it. I’m going to contact the PO and pick his brain for more details too. He told me the truck had 22K miles on it, but did he really mean the rebuilt motor had 22K miles on *it*? He’s an honest person, so there was no intent to deceive me. My mechanic said he thought the odometer rolled over and there’s 122K miles on the truck. Or you know, his grandpa could have somehow damaged the original motor early on after the warranty had expired and had to rebuild it. We’ll probably never know. By the way, we haven’t found a rebuilders tag on the motor, but the gold paint is a strong clue it’s been rebuilt. The tag or label might be hidden somewhere under all the oil and crud.

I'd guess that a rebuilder's tag would be an uncommon collectors' item.

I have seem many rebuilt 216/235/261 engines and never saw a "tag".

However, my first junkyard engine (a 261 from Leon's parts yard in 1972) was out of a well-maintained county school bus. The last rebuilt specs (.060 pistons/rings) was stamped into the block.

If anyone has a stovebolt rebuilder's tag (or, rebuild markings), would you please post a photo?

Here is one from my truck. Didn't see it until about 5 years ago when I replaced the clutch. I've had the truck 42 years ! It's just behind the starter.

A real surprise happened when that rivet came out. Created an oil leak that had me scratching my head for a few days.

Excellent

Thanks, Tony

Looks like a date of 5-74 on the tag?
0.040 over cylinders
0.020 rod bearings
0.020 main bearings

You got a somewhat recently rebuilt engine (if you got it 42 years ago)?
It was nice of the engine builder to tack/rivet that plate on a thin spot in the block (allowing leakage)?

I'm tellin ya ! I replaced the oil pan gasket twice. Finally believed my eyes that I did see the oil spill over the lower ledge of the block.

Look at this picture ! Gosh, I've got hylomar in there. Thread sealant. Totally unnecessary. Man !

It's not on the block, but my truck has a repair tag on the valve cover.
I have not checked the serial number to see if it's original, but I suspect it's a later engine, not the rebuilt original. Current color is grease black.

Grease black (dirty oil black) is as close to the description of the original paint color as I have ever been able to come up with. The description in print is called "blue gray".
They can call it whatever they want, but the original blocks with paint still on them did not speak "blue" to me whatsoever.
I have seen a very original 55.2 235 which still had almost all of the shiny original paint under the greasy, oily dirt. Now that color has a smidgen of blue tint to it. It did not match the color of the greasy, oily dirt like the AD engines that I have seen.
Carl

The 235 color changed in 1954 from a gray with a little blue in it, to a gray (with little or no blue in it).

In 1954, Chevrolet called the truck 235 engine color "gray", in at least one publication.

Unless someone has documented GM engine paint color codes, the name/names of the possible shades of engine paint gray is unknown/unprovable.

I'll go with the color "distinctions" of the "recognized expert" that posted that 1996 list of engine colors.