Make sure you use a balancer tool to both remove and reinstall the balancer. You can loosen the front bolts on the
oil pan and remove/replace the front cover gasket, but depending on where your
oil leak is you may want to use this opportunity to replace the
oil pan gasket. Since you are replacing the front cover gasket, you might as well replace the front seal. It's cheap and easy to do. If you have an older front cover it is removed from the inside (newer ones install from the front and don't require removal of the front cover). When you reinstall the front cover, loosely install the bolts, install the balancer, and then tighten the front cover bolts in order and to proper torque specs. This allows the balancer to center the seal (even with the front cover dowel pins some movement can occur). Finally, make sure you use sealer on the bolts that go into water passages. Oh, and check your fan/serpentine belt for any cracks or glazing. Coolant can shorten the life. Good luck!