Oil pan removal?

The pan won't come out without raising the engine up so the pan can clear the oil pump pickup strainer. Even then it is very tight. That is why the first step in the service information is to remove the engine. I have, however, seen a process where you drop the pan, raise the engine up and then clean up the surfaces and install the gaskets with the pan just hanging under the engine. However, that assumes the current pan is okay. You say you are changing yours? Why? If it's a stripped drain plug you could just install a good thread insert into it, like a time-sert or other thin wall locking thread insert. With the pan down you could clean it out easier as well.

That sounds like someone might have pulled the timing cover and messed up the seal and it started leaking as a result. Have seen that on the small blocks and the 4.3s as well. You should be able to replace those seals without fully removing the pan. Just clean everything really well and use some Permatex on them.