In this study, the effects of fuel injection pressure changed from 45 to 65 MPa on combustion and emission characteristics were investigated in a common rail direct injection (CRDI) diesel engine fueled with diesel and palm oil biodiesel blends. The engine speed and engine load were controlled at constant 1700rpm and 100Nm, respectively. The tested fuel were PBD20 (20 vol.% palm oil biodiesel blended with 80 vol.% diesel fuel). The main and pilot injection timing was fixed at 3.5°CA BTDC and 27°CA BTDC (before top dead center), respectively. The experimental results show that the combustion pressure and heat release rate increased. In addition, the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) and maximum combustion pressure increased with an increase of the fuel injection pressure. Hydrocarbon (HC), smoke opacity and carbon monoxide (CO) decreased, but oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions increased as fuel injection pressure increased.