In this study, to investigate the effect of physical and chemical properties of butanol on the engine performance and combustion characteristics, the coefficient of variations of IMEP (indicated mean effective pressure) and fuel conversion efficiency were obtained by measuring the combustion pressure and the fuel consumption quantity according to the engine load and the mixing ratio of diesel oil and butanol. In addition, the combustion pressure was analyzed to obtain the pressure increasing rate and heat release rate, and then the combustion temperature was calculated using a single zone combustion model. The experimental and analysis results of butanol blending oil were compared with the those of diesel oil under the similar operation conditions to determine the performance of the engine and combustion characteristics. As a result, the combustion stabilities of D.O. and butanol blending oil were good in this experimental range, and the indicated fuel conversion efficiency of butanol blending oil was slightly higher at low load but that of D.O. was higher above medium load. The premixed combustion period of D.O. was almost constant regardless of the load. As the load was lower and the butanol blending ratio was higher, the premixed combustion period of butanol blending oil was longer and the premixed combustion period was almost constant at high load regardless of butanol blending ratio. The average heat release rate was higher with increasing loads; especially as butanol blending ratio was increased at high load, the average heat release rate of butanol blending oil was higher than that of D.O. In addition, the calculated maximum. combustion temperature of butanol blending oil was higher than that of D.O. at all loads.