Fuel injector with needle control system that includes F, A, Z and E orifices

A common rail fuel injector includes a needle valve member that moves to open and close nozzle outlets for a fuel injection event responsive to pressure in a needle control chamber. Between injection events, the needle control chamber is fluidly connected to the fuel inlet by a first pathway that includes a Z orifice, and fluidly connected to the fuel inlet by a second pathway that includes an F orifice, an intermediate chamber and an A orifice. During an injection event, the needle control chamber is fluidly connected to a drain outlet by a third pathway that includes the A orifice, the intermediate chamber and an E orifice. Different performance characteristics are achieved by adjusting the sizes of the respective of F, A, Z and E orifices.