Bouncy brake pedal

[jagarundi]

Okay, here's the deal. I changed my front brake pads this past Saturday. I've changed my brakes hundreds of times so no big deal. After changing them THIS time, my brake pedal is spongy as a mutha! My question is:

There's a little nipple on the top of the caliper with a rubber piece covering it. That piece fell off during the changing. I put the wheel back on without after I finished the brakes. I found it after I finished the other brake on the passenger side. WHAT is that little nipple? I'm thinking it has to do with vacum and because I didn't replace the rubber piece back over it, I'm getting air or not the proper pressure on the brake. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

[techieman33]

The little piece is just there to keep stuff out of the bleeder valve. I would suggest you bleed your brakes to help firm up the pedal, and if your brake fluid looks nasty, keep bleeding all 4 corners until you get clear fluid out, clean fluid will improve your braking a lot more than you would probably expect.

 

[fixxxer]

the little nipple on top of the caliper is the caliper bleed valve, the rubber boot is basically a dust cover to help keep contamination out of the system

 

[jagarundi]

Okay, thanks guys. I'll recheck the brakes this weekend and bleed if necessary.