Cold air intake issues 2015 ford police interceptor utility

Well the first essay I wrote errored out of course so here we go again. 2015 ford police interceptor utility (explorer) 3.7l v6. Tried to install a cold air intake. First time got horrible idle so I bought a new maf sensor thinking I may have broke the original trying to fab a sensor plug. 2nd sensor bought as well as a sensor attachment coupling (which had to be fabricated as well to change from a round to square hole. Now getting same horrible idle. I unplugged battery ground before the reinstall of 2nd sensor to reset computer hopefully. Also cleared the 2 trouble codes I got with old sensor. So after the 2nd reinstall it idles better with the sensor unplugged but still doesn't run normally driving. It doesn't respond when I get on the gas a bit. I hear a knock, 1 knock each time right after I unplug sensor. A traction control maintenance light has come on now and it won't let me cut it back on. Also feels like it's shifting hard in park and drive. So yea can't keep running long enough to walk back to hood area with sensor plugged in. Im having a hard time thinking a 3rd sensor will do any better. Please help

Those chrome snorkels can do more ham than good. Relocating the MAF can change the way air flows over the sensor, effecting it's accuracy.
Unless the sensor installed backwards, the fix is probably going to be putting the stock air cleaner assembly back in the car.
Adding that bit of piping isn't really going to net you any gains anyway. Make sure if there are any screens, filters or diffusers in the stock set up that they get returned to the original position. These devices are commonly (erroneously) removed under the assumption that they are a restriction. In reality, they are engineered to keep non turbulent air moving through the sample chamber of the MAF.
All the other symptoms of hard shifting and warning lights are most likely the results of whatever codes are set from the mass air flow sensor not being able to do it's job.