94 Escort LX engine problems

Hello. I need some help with my wife's 94 Escort LX 1.9. The first problem was that I found a little coolant in the oil (but no oil in the coolant) so I assumed it had a bad head gasket. So i took off the head and replaced the head gasket, intake manifold gasket, exhaust manifold gasket, spark plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, oil, oil filter, and coolant. When I started the car back up, it ran really rough and still does. At first it wants to cut off, bun then settles down, but the exhaust is really loud. Sounds like it is coming from somewhere up near the motor? I didn't mess with anything on the exhaust except for the manifold and I triple checked that the bolts were tight and everything was hooked up. I inspected the head when it was off and it looked fine. Has anyone else had this problem or can anyone make any suggestions as to where to start the trouble shooting? It runs rough and wants to cut off when I come to a stop. Thanks for any help.

plugs correctly gapped? timing ok?

Sounds like EGR is not hooked up exhaust.

plugs correctly gapped? timing ok?
I assume the plugs are gapped ok because they are made for the car and the packaging says they need no adjustment. As far as the timing, how do I check to see if the timing is o.k.?

The timing is not adjustable. Did you check the EGR tube going to the exhaust? That could be your noise.

What the previous poster might have been referring to was the timing marks on your camshaft and crankshaft. Did you get those right?

Its not the EGR tube. I actually had to get one of those off a junked escort because i broke the other one taking it off. The exhaust sound is REALLY loud. Its sounds as if I have glasspacks. Could the guts have blown out of the cat.? As for the timing marks, Im pretty sure they were ok, I REALLY dont wanna have to take everything off again to find out.....

Its not the EGR tube. I actually had to get one of those off a junked escort because i broke the other one taking it off. The exhaust sound is REALLY loud. Its sounds as if I have glasspacks. Could the guts have blown out of the cat.? As for the timing marks, Im pretty sure they were ok, I REALLY dont wanna have to take everything off again to find out.....

Could be the gasket slipped on the manifold or the donut gasket slipped on the exhaust pipe going into the cat. Even if the cat had the guts blown out of it, it would not make any noise since it would have to go through the muffler at the end of things. A big enough leak at the engine end of things could be giving the exhaust sensor a false reading causing the driveability to go bad. Is the noise at the engine or at the end of the muffler in that back? Hope you get your problem solved.

Could be the gasket slipped on the manifold or the donut gasket slipped on the exhaust pipe going into the cat. Even if the cat had the guts blown out of it, it would not make any noise since it would have to go through the muffler at the end of things. A big enough leak at the engine end of things could be giving the exhaust sensor a false reading causing the driveability to go bad. Is the noise at the engine or at the end of the muffler in that back? Hope you get your problem solved.

The noise is coming from it sounds like down under the engine. very loud. I really havne had a chance to tear into the car yet, so im trying to get as many suggestions as possible first. It "shouldnt" be the intake manifold gasket because i put on a brand new one. thanx for the help.

The noise is coming from it sounds like down under the engine. very loud. I really havne had a chance to tear into the car yet, so im trying to get as many suggestions as possible first. It "shouldnt" be the intake manifold gasket because i put on a brand new one. thanx for the help.
??? Could it be a valve ???? I had someone suggest that to me. And how do I check the valves?

I guess it's possible the cam shaft is not in time. I just had my timing belt off and it was a pain getting it running again. Take the oil filler cap off and see if the noise is coming up through there.