Pulled this out of a friend's 2011 Equinox with the 2.4 and about 175K on the clock. Came in with a complaint of random hard starts, start and stall, and stalling at stoplights. It had only sat for about 10 minutes before I brought it in, but rattled on startup like it was struggling to build pressure. Engine was still in time but the chain was rattling from the top end, so I suspect the upper guide broke and it went downhill from there. Decided to pull the filter, and found it not only full of metal, but obviously collapsed, and pleats torn away at least halfway around on both ends. The last pic is of all the metal that drained out of the filter just sitting on a rag from before I actually wrapped it. Friend decided it was time to pull the plug and get something else, so I stuck a Proselect back in it so he could at least nurse it home.
Valvoline VO-76 collapsed from engine damage
- Thread starter Junk
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Other than the excessive loading due to whatever failure, this how these normally come out looking, that's why I only use Wirebacked filters like the XG9018, Some people have reported better success with Hengst made Delcos, but most of the Delco filters you'll find out there are identical to that Valvoline filter and are actually made by Champ Labs.
This was the Valvoline cartridge I took of a 2008 Malibu in 2020, it'd been in the car around 1 year and 2500 miles.
With that much metal in the filter, that engine has some major issues going on. Hard to say if the filter was clogged or not, but in order to tear is probably was running in bypass. But regardless, the filter bypass valve should work and that would have allowed some unfiltered metal through to trash the engine even more. 
Every filter I've ever removed from one of these engines has been collapsed. Hard to believe they wouldn't have designed the center tube to support the media against the bypass spring pressure in the cap, but it only goes like 3/4 of the way up the inside.
Center tube shot? Yeah, unsupported media isn't good.
Oh yeah, I'm sure it was trashed. I told him I'd love it if it only needed timing chains, but with that much metal in it no way would it be that simple, and with the mileage he wasn't up for the expense of an engine. I can grab a pic of the center tube tomorrow, but other than the wire backed filters none that I've seen have a center tube that travels the full length.With that much metal in the filter, that engine has some major issues going on. Hard to say if the filter was clogged or not, but in order to tear is probably was running in bypass. But regardless, the filter bypass valve should work and that would have allowed some unfiltered metal through to trash the engine even more.
I have done countless oil changes on my mom's 2017 GMC Terrain (same 2.4 engine as this) and it has NEVER had a filter come out looking anything other than perfectly straight. I only use AC Delco filters in it (e-core), never an issue.
Do you know if the engine and all internal parts were original? For a 2011 that is quite a bit of miles. Many early 2.4's fail much, much sooner than that.
I wonder how long people are running these for. I have never seen a collapsed filter when doing oil changes on my moms 2.4 Terrain. They always come out looking as straight as when I installed them. 3-5K miles OCI's.
Maybe it has something to do with the vehicle being used in a warm climate, OP and I are in the midwest, colder oil and more condensation probably make the issue more prevalent.
As far as I know yes; I was pretty surprised myself. Honestly with how it was acting I was expecting it to be low on oil, but other than smelling pretty bad and not looking great for only having 2K miles or so on it since it's last change it was alright. Also, he wasn't really known for long OCI's either, was usually in right around 5K. That said, I haven't serviced it it's whole life, and if he didn't buy it new then it's anyone's guess.
Based on post use anecdotes here, cartridge appearance not all that unusual for ecotec engine applications. 'Perhaps', a bit worse than some others, but not too out line. Because of that, I'm hesitant to blame the cartridge here for any engine issues. Maybe more a symptom than a cause. Date code markings would indicate it to be a Champ Labs made cartridge.
Yeah, looks pretty normal, and I agree, never intended to blame the filter; more just insight into how it reacted to some pretty extreme conditions.
Here are a couple pics of the center tube, with a pic of a 27082mp for comparison of its location when new.
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