Ford Repair: oil pan gasket, pan gasket, service garage

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1999 Taurus with oil leaking because of a bad gasket. A manual I have states that the starter must be removed to access and remove the oil pan. A local mechanic seems to think that may not be necessary. Any thoughts?

ANSWER: I have done this with the starter removed, it may be possible to leave it in but it does open up a lot of space, making it easier to maneuver the pan once all the bolts are out.  Removing the starter is probably the easiest part, usually the exhaust has to be removed and that can be a chore.  In my opinion, taking 3 minutes to remove the starter probably saved me 10 minutes of work because it wasn't in my way.  Hope this answers your question,
Jason

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I jacked up the car and looked underneath and can relate to what you describe. It would take me all day (probably) to perform this task. A service garage looked at it and states the oil pan is rusted and needs replaced in addition to the gasket. Does this sound right?

Answer
Due to the exhaust pipe being so close to the oil pan, the paint usually burns off and exposes the metal which rusts quickly.  Most of the 3.0 oil pans out there are rusty, some are rusted through and even leak some oil.  If the oil pan gasket is leaking and the pan is rusty, this would be a good time to put a new pan on, so you don't have to replace a leaky pan later on.  New ones are available from Ford and are priced reasonably.  Hope this helps,
Jason