I checked the oil in my 01 Accord 4 cyl (5 speed) today and it's down about
1/2 quart. It's about 1/2 way between the add and full marks. I have known
something was leaking slowly underneath the car for a while because it's
been wet along the bottom of what I thought was the bellhousing.

I crawled underneath today and it looks like the leak is around the oil pan
gasket. From what I could see, being about 1/2" away from everything, there
is some kind of brace bolted to the transmission and engine that covers the
right side of the oil pan. That's where the oil seems to be gathering,
being the lowest point of the underside of the car more or less.

Is that part I'm seeing just a brace, and does it need to come off to remove
the oil pan? Or am I looking at a potential leak from the transmission?

I'm still trying to find even just a Haynes manual for the car so I can
find this stuff out for myself.