This car has been KICKING me while I'm down for about a month, now.  It died one day, had a short circuit that almost burned it down the next...over the weekend while diagnosing a ticking noise that turned out to be loose exhaust manifolds I find what's shown in the photo below.  I've had the car about a year and it's been great....now all this foolishness...

So, while it IS probably the "best" kind of head gasket leak, I'm not crazy about it.  Is there a step by step video or photo guide that shows the process?  Would you even attempt any of those sealers in a can?  I haven't had the "opportunity" to fix a head gasket since I owned a set of wrenches.  

I’m not sure I’m seeing the picture right, but it’s the yellow streak between the head and block just to the right of the downpipe?

I had a new head gasket leak a little water on start up, and a re torque solved it. But on a run in motor how you fix a leaking head gasket is another head gasket. Try putting a torque wrench on it (PITA to get to all the bolts), in sequence, but probably a replacement.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

I have the same issue and tolerated it for going on 10 years and counting.   Slight staining from antifreeze weeping.  It never drips and I've never been able to sneak up on it and catch it while it is wet nor do I have to ever add antifreeze.  My engine performs excellent so I just live with it as it's easy enough to clean in a truck.   I believe Ted mentioned some time ago that the Felpro blue head gaskets are the problem and that's what I used, unfortunately.  

64F100 57FAIRLANE500

My head gasket was weeping at the rear of the driver side cylinder head enough that I did have to periodically top off the radiator. I retorqued the head bolts and it has substantially addressed the problem. Haven’t had to add coolant in months. I am not sure that it’s bone dry at this point but I can certainly live with it. So, one more vote for re-torquing the head bolts.

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

I will try a re-torque first, then.  Is there a specific sequence, or would it not even matter at this point?  Looks like 75 lb/ft is what I'm after?  

Thanks.

There is a sequence. I did a web search and could not find an illustration. If you have a service manual the sequence will be be contained therein. You want 65 to 75 foot pounds. 

This is the head torque info from the 1956 Ford Shop Manual.  (WSM)  The info outlined in red is for a retorque without pulling the head.  Hope this helps.




Don

For some reason, photos posted in this forum typically appear superimposed over part of the text., so I always miss some info as a result. Still waiting for a way to fix the issue (?).
Anyway, I don’t see where the O.P. has revealed the type of head gasket, or whether the coolant leak has invaded the combustion chamber (spark plug evidence?).  
My original motor with steel gaskets became overheated & started leaking around one cylinder (weeping head/frosted plug) years ago.  I then switched to 70% propylene coolant & zero pressure radiator cap, and the leaking stopped, so I never bothered with re-torqing.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

if the head bolts are original some wher not grade 8. if you are removing the head replace the bolts with grade 8.also clean the threads in bock(run a bottoming tap down all the way
by hand so you can feel any resistance.. I would  put a dab of engine oil on the new head bolts. with new comesition gaskets  you have  a 90%cance to stop the leaks

All I see is a little weep down the side of the block between the #2 bolt that you're supposed to torque.  I see no evidence (so far) of anything mixing that should not be...and I have no idea what gasket is in there.  

I got in there today and re-torqued.  The #2 and #6 bolts were the only ones (that I could get to) that moved at all with torque wrench set at 75.  Everything else was tight.  I wasn't able to get to the ones at either end of the rocker shaft because nothing would fit and I had visions of things I don't know falling off the shaft and falling into the pushrod holes and getting lost...

Fingers crossed that this worked.  If not...then I'll probably be hounding you all for tips on head gasket replacement.  

Thanks again.