Correct 440 valley pan paint color

[Paul Cotton]

What is the correct paint color for a 440, engine and, is the valley pan supposed to be painted the same color? I have seen the pan sometimes painted silver to match an Edelbrock intake.

 

[tak419]

The motor was assembled then painted, so it should be the color of the motor. There will only be paint on the areas that the paint reaches when sprayed. If you see one silver/metal color, then the pan has been replaced.

 

[69Coronetrt]

The correct color will depend on the year and application. So what year are we talking about and what is the installation (A, B C Body?)

 

[Paul Cotton]

The correct color will depend on the year and application. So what year are we talking about and what is the installation (A, B C Body?)

Well, that is a trick question, we are talking a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II, however the engine is a 440. The car originally had a 318 in it. The engine is presently painted Hemi orange and the valley pan is painted orange as well. I had to pull the intake (Edelbrock 440) off and replace the valley pan, before I put it back together, I saw where some people had painted the pan silver to match the intake. That got me to wondering what the original color would have been. Did the pans always match the engine color from the factory?

 

[493 Mike]

Well, that is a trick question, we are talking a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II, however the engine is a 440. The car originally had a 318 in it. The engine is presently painted Hemi orange and the valley pan is painted orange as well. I had to pull the intake (Edelbrock 440) off and replace the valley pan, before I put it back together, I saw where some people had painted the pan silver to match the intake. That got me to wondering what the original color would have been. Did the pans always match the engine color from the factory?

Factory installations also had a tin cover plate on top of fiberglass insulation wrapped in aluminum foil. It all was painted engine color. No one ever seems to use the insulation pad.
Mike

 

[Kern Dog]

The valley pan is unpainted stamped steel. Some leave it unpainted when building their engine. I prefer to leave mine unpainted.

 

[Cranky]

Factory installations also had a tin cover plate on top of fiberglass insulation wrapped in aluminum foil. It all was painted engine color. No one ever seems to use the insulation pad.
Mike

That pad was more of a 'damper' so that crank case pressures didn't buffet the pan and make it crack over time....

 

[Dave6T4]

I just had the top end of my engine apart. When I was putting it back together again, I decided to put that pad back in again. It was missing on my engine, so I made a new one using that foil-covered heat/silencer pad that restorers put on their car floors under carpet. I measured the width and length of the depression in the valley pan. I cut a piece of this material twice as long as the depression and same width. I doubled this over and installed it under the intake so the closed end of the doubled piece was facing the front for a neater appearance. This quiets valve train noise a bit, and keeps some engine heat away from the intake. I also blocked off the heat riser ports to the intake.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Factory installations also had a tin cover plate on top of fiberglass insulation wrapped in aluminum foil. It all was painted engine color. No one ever seems to use the insulation pad.
Mike

I remember seeing mice had made homes in those back in junkyard crawls in the 80’s. I always thought… “Damn. Those little MFer’s musta been itchy”

 

[440 PHIXX]

Also… another reason I thought the Big Block Mopar was an improvement over the small Block Chevy as it had a “dry” intake manifold. Less heat soak and more HP.

 

[Tony 69]

This is off subject a little but I just noticed some oil residue under my intake on that pan. So I’m assuming it isn’t sealed that great but have no running issues. I want to add a breather to it when I replace it. Any suggestions of where to put the breather? Looks like I have room in the very front or very rear. Had anybody done this ?

 

[Chi Town Runner]

Well, that is a trick question, we are talking a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere II, however the engine is a 440. The car originally had a 318 in it. The engine is presently painted Hemi orange and the valley pan is painted orange as well. I had to pull the intake (Edelbrock 440) off and replace the valley pan, before I put it back together, I saw where some people had painted the pan silver to match the intake. That got me to wondering what the original color would have been. Did the pans always match the engine color from the factory?

As far as I know the 440 wasn't painted orange till the '69 model year and that was the HP version
'68 and earlier was turquoise but I don't know what year the 440 was first produced.

 

[Kern Dog]

The intake manifold bolts need some type of non hardening sealant since the threads in the heads are open to crankcase pressure.

 

[Tony 69]

Thank you Kern Dog

 

[R413]

Tha pans are silver when made. The only paint on it is overspray from painting the engine. The pan itself is not painted prior to engine assembly.

whatever color the engine is so is the pan overspray.

 

[Daves69]

Factory installations also had a tin cover plate on top of fiberglass insulation wrapped in aluminum foil.

...........
Big Block Intake Manifold Insulation Plymouth Dodge Mopar

 

[BSB67]

I've R&R probably 50 BB Mopar intakes. Never used thread sealant. Never a drop of oil unless the intake leaks.

 

[bandit67]

As a youngster to Mopars, I was unaware of the two piece insulation pads on the factory big blocks vally pan. In looking at the repop ad , I am wondering why it needed to be two separate pieces....was it because the different manifolds dictated two pieces. The two cast iron ones I installed could have just used a one piece it seems. hhhhmmmmnnnn

 

[diesel_lv]

65-68 w/Carter Turquoise
67-69 w/Holley Turquoise
69-71 Hemi Orange
70-74 w/Holley Blue
72-74 w/Carter Blue
Some yrs overlapped depending on options. But anything pre '69 is going to be Turquoise to be period correct.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

Just acquired a 1973-440 motor home motor and it has the valley pan insulation pad and the blue over spray on the valley pan is only on the front and rear visible sections of the valley pan that the insulation pad does not cover.