I don't think it will break, make sure it's full of fluid and run it. You might want to use synthetic if you're not already. I'll dig up the links I have for Hurth transmissions. It is a bitch to replace yourself, the bolts and (flywheel/clutch whatever they put on a boat) bolts are difficult to get to and you have to detach and remove the prop shaft and realign it all. Lots of labor. I saw one or two with problems at the dealer when I was hanging out there, my mechanic said it was very unusual to have a failure, he had not seen one fail in a Toyota, ever. They were warrantee replacements for noise problems. He took one out that was under warrantee with a new trans sitting on a pallet at the shop, and tried everything he could to blow up the old one, couldn't do it.
I'll run by his shop tomorrow and ask him about it.
I'll bet it will run for as long as you can stand the noise, with fresh fluid. I'd change it often and look for "glitter" in the bottom of the pan, if it turns into gravel I'd keep my cellphone charged and Boat US's number, and run the piss out of it anyway. It will run for a while, probably through the summer at least. I'd just fill up the ballast and be fresh out of give-a-shit about the noise. Turn the stereo up.
