Abstract: An electro-valve for discharging a common rail while maintaining a minimum pressure, comprising an electro-magnetic coil inside which is arranged a movable plunger, controlling the displacements of a movable axis engaging a ball valve, said movable plunger being urged in the closing position of the ball valve by a spring housed inside a bearing cap, wherein a bottom wall of the bearing cap surrounds an external surface of the movable plunger, wherein a clearance between the external surface of the plunger and an internal wall of the bearing cap is filled with a film of fuel, the opening movement of the plunger causing the fuel to flow from a room situated on top of the plunger to a bore in which the axis is arranged, wherein a sleeve of a controlled thickness is arranged around the plunger within the clearance to set the thickness of said film of fuel.

Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump assembly for use in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The fuel pump assembly comprises a pumping plunger for pressurising fuel within a pump chamber during a plunger pumping stroke, and being slidably received in a plunger bore; a rider member co-operable with a drive; and an interface member for imparting drive from the rider member to the pumping plunger to perform the plunger pumping stroke, the interface member having an interface side co-operable with the rider member). The pumping plunger comprises fluid delivery means for delivering fuel from the pump chamber to one or more contact surfaces of the pumping plunger, thereby to lubricate the contact surfaces.