Recently got a 2014 Chevy Equinox in with excessive ticking and clattering... this is common for the 2.4 (and many other displacements) in the Eco-Tec family when the timing chain gets loose or a guide or tensioner becomes worn. Usually it presents itself by just being a bit rattly at start up, and then going away a few seconds afterwards -- but this one was beyond that and sounded like something was going to let go! So I told the customer to leave it since there was more risk if it let go while driving than letting it sit until I could get under the valve cover to see what was going on. The customer agreed and left the car with me until I could get it in our new bay -- which might I add has been working out quite well since being opened. Anyway, I got in the car to pull it around back into the bay and wouldn't you know it! The damn timing chain went out before I even got in the door! LOL! I had to get the crew together and push it into the bay!

Now the sound that a vehicle makes when the timing chain has jumped while cranking it over is un-mistakable. I got a video of what it sounds like when the chain has jumped or broken. This sound is also similar to vehicles with timing belts when they break, however on vehicles with chains it's very rare to have one break, rather it just jumps time -- but the sound is the same in most cases for both.

This is the sound it makes when a chain has jumped time... if it had broken it would sound a little different in that it would just sound like it's free-wheeling. These engines are known to be interferance engines which means that at higher RPM's they can jump time and bend valves. The vehicle in this video jumped time while idling and did not bend any valves -- so depending on many different factors, your engines valves may be fine if it jumps time. A good test for bent valves with the valve cover off is to wiggle the followers under the camshafts. Usually a bent valve will see the follower almost slide out or be very loose when the lobe is in the closed position.

In our case, once I got the valve cover off it was just a broken guide that had fallen into the chain at and idle and caused the timing to jump. Luckily, there was no interference between the piston and the valves.

There were many areas where the chain was riding on or rubbing metal. It took a lot to clean and flush it all out too.

This above is just the primary outer timing chain set-up (less tensioner). But notice how both the phasers have black covers? More on this later.

Now it was time to remove the secondary inner chain for the balance shafts and the water pump.

Removing the balance shaft sprockets involves using a drill bit (5/32 IIRC) to wedge in a hole provided on the retaining bracket and using that and the sprocket tooth to hold it while breaking it free. 

Because the vehicle is now 10 years old, there were many different kits offered for this procedure at reasonable prices. I opted for the most expensive which included a new timing cover w/ oil pump, complete guides - tensioners and chains with all sprockets, gaskets, phasers and even a head set for good measure.

Now remember when I said pay attention to the color of the plastic front phaser covers? That is because these colors come in Black, Gray and White. Depending on your model year, you may have two of the same part number (my case with 2014 Eco Tec 2.4) or in earlier versions (2010-under) they have a seperate "Exhaust" and and "Intake" phaser... the phasers used in earlier 2010 and under models uses a gray plastic front cover for the intake phaser -- and it is different! The gray colored one is clocked differently for other camshaft profiles, both early and performance. You must identify which you have. If you look at both your phasers and they have the same part number, that is the later style. Grey is for the earlier -- and I have yet to come across a white one, although they are available.