Well then its not the MAF then, if the idle didn't change by removing the MAF sensor connector then the engine management had gotten used to not using it.
Check your fuel trims using data block 32, if its a positive number its adding fuel to compensate for a vaccum leak. The check valves looks like a small little valve in between vaccum lines, it has a grey side and a black side to the valve, there is a total of 4 in the engine bay. Look them up at
www.ecstuning.com to see what they look like.