For a sequential port fuel injection natural gas engine, its combustion and emission characteristics at low loads are crucial to meet light duty vehicle emission regulations. Fuel injection timing is an important parameter related to the mixture formation in the cylinder. Its effect on the combustion and emission characteristics of a natural gas engine were investigated at 0.2 MPa brake mean effective pressure (BMEP)/2000 rpm and 0.26 MPa BMEP/1500 rpm. The results show that early fuel injection timing is beneficial to the reduction of the coefficient of variation (COV) of indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) under lean burn conditions and to extending the lean burn limits at the given loads. When relative air/fuel ratio is over 1.3, fuel injection timing has a relatively large effect on engine.out emissions. The levels of NOx emissions are more sensitive to the fuel injection timing at 0.26 MPa BMEP/1500 rpm. An early fuel injection timing under lean burn conditions can be used to control engine out NOx emissions.