In an injection molding system comprised of an injection molding machine that injects injection fluid (18, 1153, 1154) into a heated manifold that distributes the fluid to two or more nozzles (22, 24, 20) each having an associated gate (32, 34, 36) mated with a mold cavity, each nozzle having an associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) controllably axially drivable upstream and downstream by an actuator (940, 941, 942) associated with each valve pin between a gate closed position at which flow of injection fluid is stopped and one or more axial positions (COP, COP2, COP3) upstream of the gate closed position at which flow of injection fluid through the gate into the mold cavity is enabled, a method of performing an injection cycle having a duration comprising: beginning the injection cycle with the valve pins associated with the two or more nozzles (n1, n2, n3, n4, n5, 22, 24, 20) in a gate closed position, selecting a first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles (n1, n2, n3, n4, n5, 22, 24, 20) and controllably driving its associated valve pin from the gate closed position to and holding the valve pin in one or more reduced flow axial upstream positions (COP, COP2) wherein a tip end of the valve pin associated with the first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles restricts flow of the injection fluid through the gate associated with the first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles to a selected rate of flow that is less than or reduced relative to a maximum rate of flow such that injection fluid flows through its associated gate downstream through the cavity a preselected distance (FFU, FFD), the gate associated with the first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles being located at a first position entering the mold cavity, upon downstream flow of the injection fluid through the cavity the preselected distance (FFU, FFD), controllably driving the valve pin (1041, 1042) associated with the other of the two or more nozzles to a selected second axial position upstream ((COP, COP2, COP3) of the gated closed position such that injection fluid flows through its associated gate downstream through the cavity, the gate (34, 36) associated with the other of the two or more nozzles being located at a second position (34, 36) entering the cavity downstream of the first position, holding the valve pin associated with the first one of the two or more nozzles in the one or more reduced flow axial upstream positions (COP, COP2) for a duration at least until the cavity is filled. beginning the injection cycle with the valve pins associated with the two or more nozzles (n1, n2, n3, n4, n5, 22, 24, 20) in a gate closed position, selecting a first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles (n1, n2, n3, n4, n5, 22, 24, 20) and controllably driving its associated valve pin from the gate closed position to and holding the valve pin in one or more reduced flow axial upstream positions (COP, COP2) wherein a tip end of the valve pin associated with the first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles restricts flow of the injection fluid through the gate associated with the first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles to a selected rate of flow that is less than or reduced relative to a maximum rate of flow such that injection fluid flows through its associated gate downstream through the cavity a preselected distance (FFU, FFD), the gate associated with the first one (n1, 22) of the two or more nozzles being located at a first position entering the mold cavity, upon downstream flow of the injection fluid through the cavity the preselected distance (FFU, FFD), controllably driving the valve pin (1041, 1042) associated with the other of the two or more nozzles to a selected second axial position upstream ((COP, COP2, COP3) of the gated closed position such that injection fluid flows through its associated gate downstream through the cavity, the gate (34, 36) associated with the other of the two or more nozzles being located at a second position (34, 36) entering the cavity downstream of the first position, holding the valve pin associated with the first one of the two or more nozzles in the one or more reduced flow axial upstream positions (COP, COP2) for a duration at least until the cavity is filled.