This paper proposes an unprecedented systematic approach for real-time monitoring the temperature and flow of diesel engine by using embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG). By virtue of FBG’s temperature effect, we design a novel sensitive FBG temperature sensing probe to measure the temperature of cylinder head and inlet flow of diesel engine. We also establish the corresponding software platform for intuitive data analysis. The experimental and complementary simulation results simultaneously demonstrate that the FBG-based optical fiber technique possesses extraordinary reproducibility and sensitivity, which makes it feasible to monitor the temperature and inlet flow of diesel engine. Our work can provide an effective way to evaluate the thermal load of cylinder head in diesel engine.