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I've never seen an engine block that wasn't painted, other than an aluminum one. Most now are painted black, to prevent corrosion. I don't think anybody would want to get a new car, pop the hood, and see a nice, rusty engine in there. Aluminum blocks don't need paint, because the corosion isn't as visible.
Something I didnt know is Ford has used 3 different shades of blue over the years. I found this out when a bought 3 cans to paint my engine. I painted it late one nite when without much light and found I had a multi color engine the next morning.
My last two Fords had light gray paint, 1988 2.9 and 1994 5.0. Flat black is actually best for heat dissipation. My last Chevy, also a 1994, was black. Since very few car buyers today even look under the hood, engine paint color for brand identity is pointless.
The oil doesn't stick, the paint makes it slicker, so it gets back to the oil pan faster. I believe it was a Smokey Yunick trick. It isn't just run of the mill paint either, it is a slicker kind of paint.