Replacing timing cover and oil pan gasket...order?

Replacing both. Since all the how to’s talk about the lower timing cover in relation to the pan gasket can be tricky...do the timing chain cover first , tack oil pan gasket all around, dab of what never silicone In front corners of oil pan gasket, and install ?
Right?
Or front seal on timing cover bottom and then install rest of pan/pan gaskets?

Grandpa always told me to install the timing cover first. Timing cover loose, then dampener to center the front crank seal, and then tighten cover bolts.

I would say oil pan gasket last. It can be a turd to get the timing cover fit to the oil pan end seals if you do the timing cover last.

Make sure to carefully "pull" the end seal tits through the oil pan cover, they are conical and can be a real pain if not seated correctly.

I alway install the timing cover first Glue it to the cover then film of sealer on block side . Install the end pan rubber seals dry. Then glue the pan gasket to the pan only with a light film of contact cement or similar. Put dabs of RTV in the corners only.

Remember the two bolts are different from the pan to the Aluminum cover then the rest of the pan bolts. They have more threads . The bolts should protrude through the cover to use all threads in the cover.

Watch the length of the lower left timing cover bolts to block. A little long and the block will be junk. When removing power steering bracket use a spacer if your not reinstalling the bracket or get shorter bolts. These are the bolts that can instantly destroy a engine if they are to long. Once you crack the bottom number one cylinder it will need a complete rebuild with a sleeve.

Just some info you can use .

Definitely do the pan last. That front pan end seal will fight you if the pan's bolted up tight. Even with the pan left loose on the bolts the fat seal can be a real pain trying to keep the sealer that you use on the seal from getting all messed up if you're trying to position the cover in place to get the bolts to line up before tightening down. Been there before. I once made a set of jack screws using the two bottom corner threaded cover holes to "pull" my timing cover down into place on the end seal to get me by till I could do it the "right" way with the pan off.

In just re-installed the timing cover on my Magnum engine 3 months ago. I did not replace the pan gasket, but I made sure to loosen ALL the pan bolts, (remove the 2 attaching the oil pan to the cover) very loose in front & gradually reducing the looseness as I went rearward, cleaned the mating surfaces good, & like others here suggested, install the timing cover loosely, then the balancer, tightened the cover to spec, then I worked from back to front with the pan bolts. A little Hi-Tack on the pan gasket mating surface to cover, & mine is leak free to this day. Just take your time, keep everything pretty clean & torque everything to specification.