As the title states, were the irons painted from the factory? The current motor in my car has red irons and aluminum colored housings. Is this factory, or is this a rebuilt motor?

 

The factory painted them black.

It's either been rebuilt. or someone went to the trouble of pulling/painting it.

 

great, looks like the PO wasn't lying about it being rebuilt. I guess i'll find out when I get my other motor prepped to drop in.

 

the factory painted the irons black until 78, when they switched over to the nitride coating they no longer needed to paint them, as the nitride (which is grey) inhibits corrosion too. so no rx7 engine was painted from the factory.

 

My engine is not painted at all. So I agree with j9f3s.

 

I always figured the black just cooked off over the years.

When you buy a reman they come painted in black.