I read recently that (in an emergency situation) the D2 will still run if your mass airflow sensor gives up. At least until you can get somewhere and obtain a new one.

Is this true? Reason I ask is that I'm making a list of critical spares for an upcoming road trip and I can't and am not going to buy everything. I have to pick and choose what I can afford. If the MAF won't put me dead on the road then I can buy something else.

My minimum list is:

drive belt
Crankshaft position sensor
brake switch
Plus extra fluids.

 

Yes, you can and I have before. You'll just run rich, be down on power, and guzzle more gas.

 

So that would mean what? negative mpg?!

 

It may be specific to model D2. I know mine will not run without the D2. It has happened to me twice. Once I forgot to plug it in after a repair, the truck started and then stalled and wouldn't start back up until I figured out what I had done. The second time the connection came lose and I lost power and had to pull over.

So I might try un plugging it and seeing if yours will run without it.

 

Yea, when mine was unplugged it did have trouble starting. Maybe just, in an emergency of course, give it a little gas when starting it. Just enough to open the throttle body a little to allow some more air in so that it compensated for the running rich.

FYI, this will make your cats clog quicker since it's running rich. It will take a while to do any real damage, but it will eventually happen.

Still, it's not like MAFs die all the time. If worst comes to worst it's also not like it's a super hard part to get a hold of in a day or two if you need one. Just find an advance auto store, order online using the website discount (cheapest I've found the Bosch ones which is the only ones you should use), and pick up in store.

 

Just drive in reverse!

 

Thanks folks for the information and advice. I believe that I will trust to luck on this one and see what happens. Of course, I could unplug it and see if she runs, but I have a pathological fear of pulling any connector on this engine apart.

I fear that I would be pulling or twisting in the wrong direction and bugger it up completely which I've done so many times before. It's a gift. I don't question it

 

I have no verification of this, but there is probably a difference in a bad MAF and a missing MAF. If a MAF (or any other part) is plugged in, there could still be something that causes continuity and allows things to run, maybe poorly, but run.

A unplugged MAF, would not complete the circuit, which could cause the engine to not run/stall.

This is purely speculation and I am not home and do not have access to a bad MAF to check with a multimeter to see if there is still a load/continuity on the connections.