A bad MAF will cause MANY problems, and exactly what you have going on, in any car.

I have an extra one L67/L27 if you're interested. PM me for details.

you say the word "Pinging" like its a low octane fuel ping.

I have a noise that comes from my tranny on TCC lockup. As the TCC is engaged, I get a chirping like noise from the Tranny. All I can said if that it sounds like chirping birds. When I put the car under load, the chirping is louder and is accompanied by the dreaded surging problem. I really feel there are related in this case.

If I back off the gas pedal and then hit the gas lightly again, then the TCC disengages, and the chirping and surging go away until it slides back into OD and TCC lockup again.

Maybe I'll get my voice recorder and record this sound, its the weirdest noise.

I think my Torque Converter could be on its way down , but its been that way for about a year now and hasnt changed at all.

Any ideas

Well I am glad across this post. I have seen plugs just like that too. I have used Bosch Platinum'* before in other vehicles but they will not run in either my 96 Corsica or my 93F150. Both vehicles just chewed through the plugs. The Corsica 3100SFI V6, I tried the Platinum, then the Platinum4 and it ate through them in less than 15k miles. Tried the A/C Delco DoubleTipped Platinums next in the Cosica and have been in there for at least 80k miles now and still run great. I really look forward to changing them on my Corsica agiain, especially the back 3
The Ford I just use the stock copper plug and life is great except it chews through distributor caps about every 25k miles. Haven't figured out why but the spark looks like it chews away parts of the posts inside. There are splash marks of post material around the edge of the cap. It made mincemeat of Bosch at 10k miles
Would be nice if I could match up a Double Tipped Platinum'* for my 87 Bonneville and my F150. I can't find a listing for either anywhere I go.

Ok well I finally cleaned the MAF sensor. The wires had a light coating of black material on the upstream side. I cleaned it up with some qtips and alcohol. That is a very delicate component.

So after driving a few days, the pinging is definitely reduced. It'* not gone, but reduced quite a bit. So this is good news.

Perhaps changing the O2 sensor will be the icing on the cake.

Thanks for all the suggestions.