Diesel filtration option?

[maxim_rfeld]

Hello everybody.

I would like to hear your opinion on the diesel filtration subject. As the rule goes, diesel engines usually have two filters. Primary filter - which is intended for water separation and coarse filtration (lets say 10 or 30 microns), usually located in the easily accessible place and piece of cake to change. Secondary filter (2 or 5 micron) - most often located in the back of the engine, often CAV type and pain to change.

Now the question – what are the disadvantages of having only one, 2 or 5 micron “primary” filter, which:
1) will do all the filtration
2) easy to access and change
3) easy to monitor (ex. Racor filter with the vacuum gauge and clear bowl)
4) even that you’ll have to change it twice as often as with the two filter configuration now you have much better idea about the sate of your filtration system and you won’t be caught of guard (in the bad weather, in the dark…) by clogged secondary filter, and it’s easy to change.
5) Overall cost for filter cartridge replacement will stay the same (you have to change it twice as often but with only one filter).

Looking forward to hear from you if anything is wrong with this idea.

Maxim.