Are the lower and middle intake manifolds on the V6 motors painted silver at the factory? I am reassembling mine and noticed that they have been painted at some point, but didn't know if they came that way from the factory.

I am in the process of rebuilding my engine and have already put the lower manifold on. In the process of cleaning up the middle one, I was using a wire brush (was expecting to have to repaint them) and everything came out nice and shiny silver. I don't know too much about these, but they don't look like they were painted to me and with everything I did to clean them up I still don't think they have been painted.

Good question, I don't know the answer. Just submitting what I found.

My upper is painted, middle and lower are not. This is how mine came from production.