I have done the swap and there is tons of bad info out there. They run fine just bolting them on with factory head gaskets, yes it is very high compression but these are not iron head 440s that ping on 9.5 compression. I did not need anything but intake manifold, exhaust manifolds and heads from the later engine.


Now if you put those early pistons in an eagle block they will come up above the deck instead of just below the deck like how they came from 03-08 and you will need to run thick head gaskets for quench clearance. The eagle has a slightly shorter deck height no matter what some clowns that don't know the facts will say... just because they saw it in a service manual or parts catalogue does not mean they are actually the same.


I have not done the swap on the jeeps you mention so I can't say about the headers. Most everything ive done is LX and trucks

Ok You know what theirs a Ton of weird wild stuff out their on on this build and I know its been beat to death every where but so much so that its hard to figure out how much is true or and not correct.
The one guy on Youtube OMG guy SHUT UP Your not a Mechanic! nor is he an experienced Hot rodder with hundreds of builds under his belt. He has no business offering any tech or suggestions to any one.

BUT any how this is how I am doing it and these will be my lessons learned.

Started out as a Project rig I bought a 5.7 Jeep Commander that dropped a Valve seat got it cheap enough so who cares right?

(OH Boy what a mistake this has been!)

Any way I was committed to boring it and running a set of Eagle heads Many said I need .070 head gaskets BUT why? I am buying new Slugs! I will just buy a dish piston!
I also modified the combustion chambers and polished them they now look like the combustion chamber on the Edlebrocks new hemi head combustion chambers I then CC'd them all coming in at 65 cc one at 66 cc while I was at it I polished up the ports mildly and cleaned the short turn radius.
I added all new Stainless valves and a new Spring kit came with the cam kit from Comp cams.

Then their was You need custom length push rods again why? I am not running a .070 thick head gasket! Mopar only lists one size int and exh push rods for all 5.7, 6.1 & 6.4's I think the originals are good as they are strait.

Then their was You have to have the 6.1 Valve covers which I bought..... Their the same as the 5.7!!! If any one has any insight on this please chime in I spent good coin for new Ma Mopar stuff and I know its wrong.

Then theirs the exhaust and I could not for the life of me find a long tube D port header for a Jeep commander I can get one for a Grand cherokee SRT8 though same truck basically as the Commander.
BUT I have no idea why they say they wont work in the commander? maybe because its a D port? Still have no idea, I am still waiting for the heads to come back before I drop the engine in to test fit not sure what mods are needed to make them work.

As far as a cam goes I got a Mild Comp cam and their timing chain set up and a New oil pump from Melling along with a New set of lifters from Ma Mopar. and a MDS deleat kit. The crank was polished and a New set of Clevite bearing will be used
The Rods are from Manly the pistons are Racetech -5.00 cc comp distance 1.220

Then theirs the Intake manifold I got an cast Aluminum intake with the heads so I am fairly certain it will work.

Thanks for any insight and replies

What is a "FCC radio telephone operator"?
I've known and work with HAM radio operator and remember being told I would need a FFC radio operator license when I started private pilot training in 1988 but I was told a little later that the FCC or FAA drop that requirement
I know what a A&P is but not that FCC license
How many people are living in Pahrump now? It has been 8 or 10 yrs. since we visit friends there the last time.

Cab ,Where did you see FCC in any of these post ? I'm curious, I realize I'm getting old but I didn't catch it ?

What is a "FCC radio telephone operator"?
I've known and work with HAM radio operator and remember being told I would need a FFC radio operator license when I started private pilot training in 1988 but I was told a little later that the FCC or FAA drop that requirement
I know what a A&P is but not that FCC license
How many people are living in Pahrump now? It has been 8 or 10 yrs. since we visit friends there the last time.

Valve Covers, use Eagle/Apache valve covers or any of the newer aftermarket ones, Avoid the OEM alum covers, they are not tall enough to give adequate rocker arm clearance.

I think the 6.1 rumor started because of the coil Mounting, all 6.1 coils are the dual plug while the 2005 5.7s and older are the single plug and waste spark(feeds the opposite side plug)

the 04-08 stock short block with Eagle heads and .028 inch crushed OEM head gaskets are 11.76 static compression, .070 Gasket gets you about 10.55

Headers any D shape headers for 09 Jeep commander will work, the 6.1 SRT manifolds, I've heard mixed things, from Yeap 6.1s work to NO 6.4s WILL not work. I have never looked for Headers for your application , honestly I don't know what to tell you about availability.....Hit the Jeep forums .

Push rods , the OEM push rods from you 07 5.7 will be too short ,the Eagle head rocker stands are roughly .100 higher , Eagle Valves are 5.14 in length vs the 03-08 heads 4.98 length.
Since your going with a Comp cam, base circle is smaller , the OEM Eagle Pushrods , will work, you'll have a slight Hemi tick.

The Race tech Pistons(5 dish) and Eagle heads, stock Head gasket will be 10.30 to 1 static, ........good choice.

NOT Any square port intake will work, SRT6.1 and all of the Aftermarket square port intakes will work, the 6.4(SRT or Truck) and the 09+ 5.7 OEM intakes have fitment issues due to the front (widows peak) of the block where the H20 sensor mounts. I've seen a LOT of people heat up the plastic intakes and make them fit.......I'd stay away from it personally.

The Photo's I attached are of the 1st Eagle head swap I did back in May 2010. Truck had 122k on it when the heads and the (everyone loves to mock) XV intake +comp cams 273H.....Pulled the engine out this past oct(2023) , yes roughly 170k miles and 13 years later , these heads have 2,125X6mm Titanium Intake and 1.625X5/16 mm stainless(ferrea valve part# F1173P)
Best ET @ 4200 Lbs was 11.48@118(roughly 540FLy wheel HP) the truck in my avatar is an 04 weighing in at 3800lbs race weight, 727 trans 4.88s same combo as the 05/eagle head test mule but with a custom grind(248/248 @.050, .600/.600, 110 LSA 12.10 to 1 running on 93 pumps 22 total degrees all in by 2k RPMS, the photo was taken on it's best run , 10.88@126.

On average I do about 10-12 of these builds a year, ..
Word to the Wise , this head swap has a sneaky issue when it comes to timing, the last photo is from 06 Hemi that had the Eagle head swap down, Internet Pro tuner guy set it up with 24 degrees of timing at WOT , and the normal 32-40 degree of off pedal "clean up emissions timing. , When I looked at his logs , and this owner logged this car all the time, almost 200 hours of HPtuner logs , this tune barely got above 3V of knock voltage . and you can see the pit marks in the photo, I've pulled a few of these apart that have eaten OEM pistons..... and they made NO noise, the issue is not the WOT spark but the off pedal spark , I cap everything under 55KPA (map) to 24 degrees and have never had one of my builds eat a piston.