I have a 96 ranger 2.3 and it was running pretty terribly. I had massive power loss and the idle was bad, I have just rebuilt the motor, and it all fixed itself when I unplugged my maf sensor. Does anyone know what's wrong with it?

 

Welcome to FTE.

Did/Do you have trouble code clues for the MAF sensor, or fuel trim code clues, if so, post up All code Numbers, as they can help focus a trouble shoot.

If you've been running a oiled foam, or cotton gauze type air filter, they are known to pass more dirt & if over oiled, the oil used to dress them is known to be able to migrate to & contaminate the calibrated MAF sensor heated electrode & corrupt it's ability to accurately measure true air flow into the engine & that'll corrupt fuel trim, all a vicious circle.

SO, for those reasons, or maybe others, like a clogged PCV valve, or worn piston rings, causing excessive piston ring blow-by, or some combination there-of, that caused/is causing a crankcase over pressure, that's blowing vapors back into the intake, may have contaminated the MAF sensor?

SO, maybe try cleaning it with a plastic safe, non-residual spray cleaner, like CRC MAF cleaner. Carefully remove so you can get at it from both sides & let the MAF sensor cool if the engine has just been run.
Don't touch the sensor electrode with the spray wand or your fingers. Let it dry & reinstall, keeping it squeaky clean.
Erase any stored trouble codes, so the computer knows repairs have been made & to erase any corrupt fuel trim tables in KAM, so the computer can begin to build new ones with input from the cleaned MAF sensor & let us know how it goes.