This paper focuses on the mechanisms of combustion noise during the accelerating operation of multi-cylinder diesel engines using testing technology for the transient conditions of IC engines. Based on impact factors, such as the gas dynamic load and cylinder pressure oscillations, tests and analysis of the combustion noise during transient and steady-state conditions for different loads are made on four-cylinder naturally aspirated engines, turbocharged engines, EGR-introduced engines, and high pressure common rail engines. The laws of combustion noise difference for the same engine speed and load are researched during transient and steady-state conditions. It is found that during transient conditions, the maximum pressure rise rate and the high frequency oscillation amplitude of the cylinder pressure are all higher than those observed during steady-state conditions for the same engine speed and load. With their joint action, the combustion noise during transient conditions is greater than that during steady-state conditions. Turbocharging is useful in reducing the combustion noise during transient conditions. Turbocharging has a better effect on the control over the combustion noise during transient conditions with a constant engine speed and an increasing torque than in conditions with a constant torque and an increasing engine speed. One of the main reasons for different control effects on the combustion noise is that turbocharging causes different wall temperatures inside combustion chambers. The introduction of the appropriate EGR is helpful in the reduction of the combustion noise during transient conditions. The key to the control of combustion noise with EGR during transient conditions is whether a real-time adjustment to the EGR rate can be made to achieve the optimization of the EGR rates for different transient conditions. By means of analyzing the differences in the combustion noise between the transient and steady-state conditions for different pilot injection controls, we obtain a strategy for controlling the combustion noise during transient conditions with a pilot injection. Compared with the steady-state conditions, a larger pilot injection quantity and a longer interval between the main injection and pilot injection should be selected for transient conditions, and this is verified through tests.