Motorcycle Repair: camshaft bushings, low pitch, cylinderhead

Question
Rich,

I emailed you a while back about my '85 250 Rebel that was making a low pitch scrape.  The sound I was hearing seems to have gone away or at least quieted some and I'm convinced after your advice that it is probably the chain.

A new problem presented itself two weeks ago.  I changed the oil and added a Lucas additive.  Sometime thereafter the valves started clicking.  So I removed the Cam cover and found that the bushings on the camshaft had worn out and that the camshaft had up and down play.  I ordered new bushings and installed them, BUT I failed to grease them as the manual says (I was being too anxious.)  I headed off down the road, put five miles on the bike and made it home to find the new bushings just as bad as the old.  IS the lack of grease the only problem?  IF so what caused the old bushings to wear out?

Answer
It doesn't sound like you are getting oil to the top of the cylinderhead. The grease is only to give them some initial lubrication. Pull the cam cover off and start the bike.  Oil should be squirting out all around the cam.  It will make a mess but it will tell you if you're getting oil up there.

Regards,
Rich