lifter noise? help

It's hard to pinpoint a sound and where it's coming from when driving the car.
Did you check to make sure that the headers are sealing good at the end of the header near the collector.
Also if you have a smaller cam, with a small amount of duration,it can ping with 36 total timing.
Are you running premium fuel????
Have you ever heard a car ping before, that you owned or have been around to know what it sounds like?????