Bravo II Reserve Oil Tank??

[Stillrunning]

Well the new boat was running fine until I hit something a few weeks ago while coming home. At first all seemed fine just bent the prop but after having the prop done it ran just fine. The next week I went to start the boat and got this loud grinding noise from the lower unit. I was lucky and it was only a bad u joint but it did bang around the housing some which I figured I need to inspect. Well last night while removing the bell housing and the oil line running to the lower unit I broke off the nipple (not sure why its made of plastic) that the line hooks to. I cannot reach the other side of the fitting in the boat and now I need some help. Do I have to have the reserve tank hooked up or can I just fill the lower unit as you would any other lower unit?