Just pulling the head and jug nuts down willy nilly, is asking for trouble.
If the tensions are too light leakage may occur.
Too tight, stretched threads and broken cylinder lugs are a possibility.
Uneven tensions on fasteners have caused more carnage than I care to remember.
No sealant should be used on head or cylinder surfaces, just clean and dry, tension to specs using new gaskets.
Beg, borrow, buy, make or steal a tension wrench and a crows foot wrench.
New gaskets must be used when you loosen the nuts to re tension.
It would be a good idea to get and learn to use a leak tester.