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Can't hurt to replace the gasket. I did mine in November and ended up snapping it off in 1 inch strips because it was rock hard. I'm pretty sure it was the original gasket from 99.
There aren't really many other places for oil to come from if it's getting in there; you can get the gasket for less than $20, though I also recommend new hoses for the PCV system and a new PCV valve and grommet, while you're at it. One of my PCV hoses split and the PCV valve grommet disintegrated when I polled the valve off to check it (though the valve itself ended up being fine in my case). The whole job should run you less than $40.
Just be sure to torque the valve cover bolts to 89 INCH pounds, **NOT** foot pounds. I just read a thread about that today. You should be fine using a nut driver (spinner handle) and torquing them all evenly by hand, but I would never RECOMMEND this, always use a proper torque wrench (1/4" drive will typically be inch pounds, 3/8" drive is almost always foot pounds). If all you have is a wrench measuring in foot pounds, you want approximately 7.4 (7.414444444444 to be exact) foot pounds, or 7'5"lb if it has tick marks for inch pounds.
If you have everything you need when you start (just the parts, ratchet, sockets, and torque wrench) the job should take about as long as finding the parts at the parts store.
While you're in there, if you have a feeler gauge, give the valve stem clearances a quick check. Someone else can chime in with what those should be, as I don't have them right off the top of my head.
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