i discovered that i have a blown head gasket on my 96 ford areostar 4.0 v6

those additives won't work (for long anyway). Sorry but there's really no work-around for a blown head gasket. Time to evaluate the worth of the vehicle. It'll cost around $800 to $1K to have the head gaskets replaced (You really should do both). It's a difficult and long-winded job - everything has to be put back together the same way you took it apart - almost exactly.

Around $300 if you do it yourself

I had a 1996 Aerostar 4.0 liter engine with the same leaking head gasket issue. I used Barsleaks Radiator Stop Leak and it was effective for 10 years and 75,000 miles. After that, the heads cracked and the engine had to be replaced.

I was in an accident and totaled my 1996 Ford Aerostar which required an engine replacement due to leaking head gasket and cracked heads. Just purchased a 1997 Ford Aerostar with the 4.0 liter engine. Guess what? The head gasket on this engine also leaks antifreeze down the block. Looks like Ford designed another poor quality engine which is prone to failure.

Seems like the 4.0 liter engine had those troubles at least for some years I would like to know if Ford ever corrected them (besides good or bad maintenance).

Would like to know if corrected also IP

Ford doesn't usually address concerns with vehicles that are either out of warranty or that the NTSB doesn't make them fix with a recall. However, the aftermarket producers of parts will make those changes to enhance reliability. With the skill of a trained technician and quality aftermarket parts, your 4.0 will last for years to come - just don't skimp - you'll get what you pay for.

By the way - is it really leaking? Seepage or damp is not a leak. A leak drips and leaves puddles - anything else is just normal.

What is IP?