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Controlled auto Ignition (CAI) combustion has great potential for reducing both NOx emissions and fuel consumption in IC engines and the application of direct injection technology to the CAI engine adds another dimension of control to the combustion process. In this work an air-assisted injection system was applied to an engine that used residual gas to initiate and control CAI combustion. Injections were performed at Exhaust valve closure (EVC), intake valve opening (IVO) and BDC of the intake/compression stroke and the effects on combustion phasing (i.e. ignition timing and burn duration), engine output, fuel consumption and exhaust emissions analyzed. Injection at EVC gave the best results in terms of engine output, operating range and combustion stability. Injection at IVO generally resulted in the lowest fuel consumption. It was found that injection timing is an effective means of controlling combustion phasing.