Generally, if you have .0025" - .0035" piston to cylinder clearance, your ring end gaps will come out .020" - .022" on the bottom two rings. That's fine and good with stock rings. If you are using low tension or detensioned rings, that may be a bit wide for my liking. The top ring is the one that does all the work in my opinion and needs to be tighter than that. Stock should end up .010" - .015" end gap - that's why you'll hear guys using +.010" ring for the bore (at least on the top ring.) If you used Burris rings, or most any other aftermarket ring (PP or Dyno Cams), the rings will be tighter on ring end gaps.
Now, it's important that your top ring has less ring end gap than the second ring so that you don't trap excess oil and/or compression between the two rings. If the top ring is not snug int he ring land, you can also experience ring flutter.
Remember, the stock rings were designed for low rpm applications such as a rototiller or generator @ 3600 rpm max. Make sure that your bore is straight and square as well. The proper cross hatch, not too course, helps carry oil but not cause too much friction. We plateau hone everything - it makes a difference. Even a slight amount of taper in your cylinder can cause problems like you're seeing too. It takes a little more tools, skill, and experience to build a race engine that is capable of turning twice that rpm using mostly stock parts.
Tell us what cylinder clearance and ring end gaps you used, and that might tell us what's going on -- it might be worth it to check out those top two rings though and see if you have one (or both) in upside down.
Thanks and God bless,
