Valve needle and metering device comprising same

The invention relates to a valve needle for a high-pressure fuel injector, comprising a needle body (12) with a cylindrical upper portion (16), the needle body (12) having an end part provided with a plunger (22) for closing a metering opening, and an elongated guide element (18) having an upstream inlet step (44) and a downstream outlet step (46), wherein the space between the cylindrical upper portion (16) and the valve cartridge (26) defines a fluid passage (24) having a first cross section (30) and the space between the guide element (18) and the valve cartridge (26) defines a fluid passage (42) having a second cross section. According to the invention the size of the second cross section of the fluid passage (42) between the guide element (18) and the valve cartridge (26) is about 45% or more the size of the first cross section (30) of the fluid passage (24) between the cylindrical upper portion (16) and the valve cartridge (26).