Fuel-heating assembly and method for the pre-heating of fuel an internal combustion engine

A fuel-heating assembly for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a fuel rail having a main tube that defines a fuel inlet through which pressurized fuel is admitted into the main tube;
• the fuel rail defining a heat transfer region having a volume smaller than a total volume of the fuel rail, and further defining a communication orifice between the main tube and the heat transfer region through which fuel in the main tube is admitted into the heat transfer region;
• the fuel rail further defining a fuel outlet for the heat transfer region arranged such that fuel is discharged from the heat transfer region through the fuel outlet for supply to an injection valve of an internal combustion engine;
• and
• a heating element inserted in the fuel rail and positioned such that fuel admitted into the heat transfer region is heated by the heating element prior to being discharged through the fuel outlet;
• wherein the fuel rail is configured such that when the fuel rail is in use on an internal combustion engine the communication orifice is located in a lower position than the fuel outlet so that heated fuel flows from the communication orifice through the heat transfer region and to the fuel outlet in a direction contrary to gravitational force.