An optimum diesel engine helps to solve the increasing energy demand, the depletion of fossil fuels, and the environmental problems from the utilization of combustion engines. To optimise the operation of a direct injection diesel engine, the effects of various boost pressures under different rotations and main injection timings were studied experimentally and numerically. The boost pressure was set between 0 kPa to 60 kPa with increment of 20 kPa using a supercharger. The engine rotation was set between 800 RPM to 2000 RPM with an increment of 400 RPM. The main injection timing was varied with 2° increment from 1° BTDC to 3° ATDC. The results indicated the increase of in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate with increased boost pressure. Higher engine rotation led to the decrease of the maximum heat release rate, maximum in-cylinder pressure, and the difference between the magnitude of the first and second onsets of the in-cylinder pressure raise. It also shifted the timing for the peak of the heat release rate to occur further away from TDC. The change of the main injection timing from 1° BTDC to 3° ATDC decreased the maximum in-cylinder pressure and moved the location of the maximum in-cylinder pressure away from TDC. The delay of the main injection timing brought larger in-cylinder pressure raise for the first onset but lower cumulative heat release rate. The difference between experimental and numerical measurements of the in-cylinder pressure was found to be less than 4%. The results of the study suggested that boost pressure of 60 kPa and main injection timing of the 1° BTDC provide higher in-cylinder pressure and cumulative heat release rate and consequently better engine performance.