A liquid filter comprising: a housing extending along an axis and defining an interior, the housing including: a top end cap including an outlet for filtered liquid, and a bottom end cap including an inlet for dirty liquid; a center tube positioned centrally in the interior of the housing and extending along said axis, the center tube comprising: a pickup tube integrated inside the center tube and extending from the inlet of the bottom end cap to near the top of the housing for permitting axial inward flow of dirty liquid, a suction tube integrated inside the center tube and extending from near the bottom of the center tube for drawing filtered liquid and supplying to the outlet of the top end cap, and Characterized in that it further comprises a holding structure integratedly surrounding both the pickup tube and the suction tube, and defining an exterior wall configured to allow flow of the filtered liquid inside the center tube from surroundings; and a pleated filter block configured to attach to the holding structure and surround the center tube such that dirty side is facing the housing for receiving the inward flow of dirty liquid from near the top of the housing, and clean side is facing the exterior wall of the holding structure. a top end cap including an outlet for filtered liquid, and a bottom end cap including an inlet for dirty liquid; a center tube positioned centrally in the interior of the housing and extending along said axis, the center tube comprising: a pickup tube integrated inside the center tube and extending from the inlet of the bottom end cap to near the top of the housing for permitting axial inward flow of dirty liquid, a suction tube integrated inside the center tube and extending from near the bottom of the center tube for drawing filtered liquid and supplying to the outlet of the top end cap, and Characterized in that it further comprises a holding structure integratedly surrounding both the pickup tube and the suction tube, and defining an exterior wall configured to allow flow of the filtered liquid inside the center tube from surroundings; and a pleated filter block configured to attach to the holding structure and surround the center tube such that dirty side is facing the housing for receiving the inward flow of dirty liquid from near the top of the housing, and clean side is facing the exterior wall of the holding structure. a pickup tube integrated inside the center tube and extending from the inlet of the bottom end cap to near the top of the housing for permitting axial inward flow of dirty liquid, a suction tube integrated inside the center tube and extending from near the bottom of the center tube for drawing filtered liquid and supplying to the outlet of the top end cap, and Characterized in that it further comprises a holding structure integratedly surrounding both the pickup tube and the suction tube, and defining an exterior wall configured to allow flow of the filtered liquid inside the center tube from surroundings; and a pleated filter block configured to attach to the holding structure and surround the center tube such that dirty side is facing the housing for receiving the inward flow of dirty liquid from near the top of the housing, and clean side is facing the exterior wall of the holding structure.