I did a 2.3 conversion a while back on my RS2000 and did not have any of your trouble. The RS2000 suffers from the wiring loom breaking down and shorting out under the bonnet. The two main problem areas are the small loom that goes to the injectors and the one that feeds the coil packs.
If you remove them you can check for damage and repair as needed.

Tons more good info on the RS2000 and 2.3 conversion here

http://www.rs2000-16v.com/