Spool + Ice = Bad (with Pictures!)

I was taking the Supra out for a spin last night, after a few people suggested I shouldn't let it idle to warm it up Started cruising on the freeway, and as I merged on to another freeway, a car was zipping along in the merge lane. Instead of slowing down to about 40 kmph to let them pass, I give it a little gas (was going about 80kmph). Hit a patch of black ice, car started to fish-tail, over corrected (to keep it going right, which had a sharp drop off), lost control, and hit 20 feet of 3 foot deep soft snow. I remember thinking "oh boy" as I was losing control of it, and the next thing I remember is calmy putting it into park and turning it off, with snow literally upto the windows and well over the front hood (was at a downwards slant into a wide ditch, luckily the lanes were separated, so I didn't go into oncoming traffic). Literally two minutes later a cop car and tow truck show up and help me get out.

Tow truck yanked me out (only managing to bend my tow hook, and nearly rip off my exhaust), and I was glad that I didn't have to wait.

Spent the next 30 minutes hand-bombing snow out of all the body holes. Still some left, and I'll show you where it is. The majority of it poured in through the front and caked on against the rad. The car is now shaky at speeds over 100kmph, probably due to snow that I can't reach behind the wheels. Taking it to a heated garage this weekend to let it sit for a few days and melt. Wanted to take it today but the temperature difference is too extreme and I worry would crack some of the plastic (-32 to +25 centigrade change, and vice versa).

Well, here are the pictures. They're shots of the front, side, rear and front wheel wells and the undercarriage. If anyone has any tips for me for any maintance, let me know.

Moral of the story - don't lay down any amount of gas when you think the merge ramp might have ice on it!

93 Jspec Auto TT

Where in Canada are you? I lived near Quebec for a while and I'd never in a million years run a Supra there. (I was in a ski resort though )

Still, looks like a lucky escape. Google RLTC

Saskatoon, Sask Haha, the RLTC is definitely part of the spring BPU!

seems like a very lucky escape!

Yup, was definitely lucky. Walked away with no injuries to the car or myself

RLTC isn't much use in snow, or at least mine wasn't.

Snow mode on the facelift model was a bit of a help, but not much TBH.

Glad you're ok Do you drive with the Japanese plates in Quebec?

RLTC isn't much use in snow, or at least mine wasn't.

 

Snow mode on the facelift model was a bit of a help, but not much TBH.

'twas a little tongue in cheek - I've never even used RLTC

I've heard it's better for correcting the car on ice than the normal 'slip control' that just cuts power to the engine completely - because it still allows you some throttle control. But, that may be hogwash. In Sask (and a few other provinces like Alberta) you only have to have back plates, so you can have whatever type of front plates you want. The JDMs came with the car and I kept them. Definitely unique in these parts.

Wow, -32 at the moment? Britain seizes up at nearly zero, but that must be so cold!

You had a lucky escape IMO. Maybe it was the walnut dash that saved you

That takes charge cooling to the next level!

Under no circumstances is this a recommendation to drive into a snow drift to bring down intake temps.