1997 mercury mountaineer 5.0 Timing cover leak

This thing is really testing my patients!!! I got the water pump installed on the 5.0 motor and no leaks. But found that it is leaking between the timing cover and the block!!!!! The gasket must have failed at the main water passage because I sealed the hell out of the bolt threads.
Is there an trick to getting the leak to stop without pulling the cover??? If not I guess I will be going to Harbor freight tomorrow to buy a balancer puller.

Wade