A direct injection diesel engine with large amount of exhaust gas recirculation was used to investigate low temperature diesel combustion. Pilot injection strategy was adopted in low temperature diesel combustion to reduce high carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. Combustion characteristics and exhaust emissions of low temperature diesel combustion under different pilot injection timings, pilot injection quantities and injection pressures were analyzed. Retarding pilot injection timing, increasing pilot injection quantity and higher injection pressure advanced main combustion timing and increased peak heat release rate of main combustion. As a result of these strategies, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions were reduced. Soot emission was slightly increased with retarded pilot injection timing while the effect of pilot injection on nitrogen oxides emission was negligible under low combustion temperature condition. Spatial distribution of fuel from the spray targeting visualization was also investigated to provide more insight into the reason for the reduction in carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions.