Are you sure the timing belt sprockets are lined up correctly. You can have an engine run fine (but with a slight loss of power) with the belt off a tooth. This will cause backfiring and since you just rebuild it, that would be my guess, luckily 2.3L engines aren't interferance engines, so if it's the case, there's likely no harm done.
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2005 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300-R
1980 Ford Thunderbird - 255 V8
ported heads, 5.0L ported stock headers, O.R. H-pipe and Flowmaster 2-chambers, dual roller timing chain
hi-po Mack Truck hood emblem 
1985 Mustang GT 5.0L T5, F-303, GT40p, headers, off-road h, flowmasters, MSD stuff, etc.
Sold 02/06/04 
1989 Mustang GT ET: 13.304@102.29 mph (5-24-03)
Sold - 1998 Mustang Cobra coupe, 1/4 mile - street tires: 13.843@103.41 (bone stock)
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