Convector heat clanging in some rooms, hissing in others

cm913

I can’t find much online to answer my questions about our type of heating and this forum keeps popping up so I’m hoping someone here can help. Our house was built in the 50s and has convector steam heat. We’ve always had issues with the two vents upstairs especially and sometimes clanging downstairs as well (but only occasionally and in different rooms on different days). We have replaced the vents upstairs multiple times and one bedroom hisses and the other clangs so loud it wakes us up. Will replacing the vent with a better quality one help or is that just a short term solution? And cut down on the clanging in the next room as it’s the next one to come on? Are they the worst because they are at the end of the line, so to speak? Or is this something to do with the pressure or air in pipes? I am eager to learn how to troubleshoot all the problems we’ve been having so any advice is welcome (like please draw me a diagram, explain it like I’m 5, whatever you need to do, I am clearly *clueless* about all of this lol) tia 

EdTheHeaterMan

More information is needed to answer your query. However you will probably not be able to provide the information because you don’t know what to look for. There is a great book available on this website store or on amazon.com. It was written by the genius who started this forum. It is well written and easy to understand.once you read this you may have the answers you need to your questions.   If not, you will have the basic information to provide the answers necessary for someone on this forum to help you.   

You have to start somewhere and this is the best place to start.