<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001513162-14-000352
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20140521
<FILING-DATE>20140522
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20140522
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES INC
<CIK>0000949428
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3564
<IRS-NUMBER>061393453
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4567 TELEPHONE ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 100
<CITY>VENTURA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>93003
<PHONE>805 639 9458
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4567 TELEPHONE ROAD
<STREET2>SUITE 100
<CITY>VENTURA
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>93003
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Park Mungo
<CIK>0001474363
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-33710
<FILM-NUMBER>14864652
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
<STREET2>10 MIDDLE ST., STE 1100
<CITY>STAMFORD
<STATE>CT
<ZIP>06604
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-05-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000949428</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDTI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001474363</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Park Mungo</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4567 TELEPHONE ROAD, SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>VENTURA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93003</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-05-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11764</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11764</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11764</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-05-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5882</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5882</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5882</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Restricted Share Unit (&quot;RSU&quot;) represents a contingent right to receive one share of Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. (&quot;CDTI&quot;) common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">RSU vests as to 50% on November 21, 2014 and 50% on the earlier of 1) May 21, 2015, or 2) immediately prior to the commencement of the Issuer's 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, in each case as long as the reporting person has continuously remained a director of, or consultant to, the Issuer through such date. Issuance to occur as soon as practicable following the date of vesting and subject to compliance with Issuer's Insider Trading Policy, but in all cases within two and one-half months following the end of the Issuer's tax year that includes the date such RSUs vest.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">RSU vests as to 100% on November 21, 2014. Issuance to occur as soon as practicable following the date of vesting and subject to compliance with Issuer's Insider Trading Policy, but in all cases within two and one-half months following the end of the Issuer's tax year that includes the date such RSUs vest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kristi Cushing for Mungo Park</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
