What would unplugging it do?

 

It would make the engine run off of O2 data and throttle data alone meaning that the ECU will not be confused by incorrect MAF readings.

 

So what I did was clean the entire MAF with quick dry electric cleaner as well as the contacts. I reinstalled it and put dielectric grease in the contacts since I will have to wait for the new assembly to arrive. It definitely ran better than with the Delphi.

Just pulled the contact and the idle is smoother...

 

It's true the MAF housings are larger on the 4.6 trucks but as said above the MAF sensors themselves are identical. They can be swapped as I did from my '99 to diagnose my friend's '04, but they are mounted using goofy, unnecessary, security TORX screws that are a little bit of a pain to remove if you don't have the needed TORX bit. I used a vise grips and replaced them with screws with standard hex heads.

Good luck with the Bosch MAF. I hope it works for you and I'm glad you were able to return the Delphi. And it sounds like you're on top of the injector o-rings.

Good luck, and please let us know how it works out for you.

(We don't know about Disco Mike for sure. He disappeared from here for maybe around a year and then resurfaced for a couple of months earlier this year only to disappear again. He irritated a lot of people here but contributed plenty. He was right much more than he was wrong. It's been long reported that Mike has had health problems for a long time. I hope is doing okay.)

 

X2 on all of that including DiscoMike. He's the reason I still have my Rover after sixteen years. The first time he helped me he was a little gruff and I thought who the heck are you? I'm a grown man with grown children! But he was right. And he was right the next time, and the time after that.

Those torx security screws are the dumbest idea next to putting the coils where you can't reach them. Harbor freight has cheap sets or torx security bits if you need one. Definitely replace them with something else.

 

Hope DiscoMike is okay as well... I have read many of his posts. Did an ATF flush after reading one with really good results.

Anyway I left the MAF unplugged on the way home from Rockefeller and no CEL...that's 9 miles mixed expressway and local streets. A few pending codes on initial startup that actually went away by the time I got home. Stupid question, but if the truck runs so well without the MAF, what's the point??

 

Funny I actually own a set
harbor freight is great. I live near one of the only stores in Nyc...

 

Red blow mold box? Haha. Small world. I literally just used mine to take my airbag off and check the connection (no more srs light. Woo Hoo!).

And yesterday used the same set to fix my door lock. I have a love hate relationship with harbor freight but right now it is all love.

 

Sorry for the delayed response...had my second son born and have been busy!!

I finally received the genuine Bosch MAF and housing and installed it. It initially ran A LOT better, but has thrown the 0171/0174 a few times. I had thought maybe the ECU had to "learn" the new MAF? It DOES run better, so I am assuming the MAF is good. Came in a sealed Bosch box with a genuine sticker and code to check. I didn't mention this before, but I live and commute in New York City, so there is a lot of stop and go, and not too many opportunities to open her up on a daily basis. I took her on the highway over the weekend and she ran good on open road. Any thoughts? Should I continue to drive for a few tanks and see if the ECU "learns" the new MAF? I disconnected the battery while installing, and thought that would be enough, but apparently not.

Hope everyone is well in the new year! PS the 30" blizzard NYC was hit with was nothing for the Rover...took me to work with no issues while the little crossovers couldn't get through anything

 

Did you replace the o-rings at this time or just clean them? Most headgasket kits come with them. They are a very common vacuum leak. I think someone said you can use some from a Ford F150, to make them easier to find locally.