Hate to say this, but your original MAF was probably fine. When you unplug it, the engine goes into failure mode logic and infers air mass values, most of the time pretty successfully. Remember, cars were calibrated for years on speed-load tables before MAF systems came around.
Also, the fans going on at high speed when ECT is lost is another failure mode action, and is a normal reponse. Like the previous poster said the fan control sounds wacked, so check codes to see if you have a P1474 (low speed fan)) or P1479 (high speed fan) present. These are not codes that will set a CEL, so you have to actively scan for them.
Double-double check your cams are aligned with the crank pulley, as the previous poster also alluded to (static timing). Quick story: I changed the timing belt on an Acura Integra once (DOHC I-4), and at first I was only off by one tooth on one of the cams and the car barely started. Then after fixing that all the marks would look nicely aligned...until I tensioned up the belt and the cams would move. Turns out I had to start with the cams slightly deflected to have it turn out correctly.
And what special alignment is required for the VCT cam? That's another animal I've never had to deal with.
