brake light wiring diagram

Last night i realized that my brake lights would only work for about 5 seconds. they would then shut off. if i let off of the brakes and reapply after 10 seconds they would work for another 5 seconds.
I am going to have to break out my multimeter today to try and fix it. I ordered a FSM last night, but i was wondering if someone could email me a copy of the wiring diagram for the brake/tail lights it would be greatly appreciated.
Andrew

Check your email

could be the position of the brake light switch. I had to fix mine with a zip tie on my old turbocoupe. Look up above the brake pedal and you will see it. check there first with the volt meter.

Common for the wires to the brake switch to break internally and make intermittant contact. Since the break is internal (and often real close to the connector)it can be difficult to find. Flexing the wire looking for a "weak spot" usually works.

i think i am going to have to break out the multi meter and trace this thing out. the brake lights on this car have been a problem before. when i got it a few months ago the brake light switch would get so hot that it literally burnt my finger. blister and everything. This weekend is going to be all about the turbo coupe, as soon as it cools down I am going to put it up on jack stands. have to check out the rear suspension and such today too.
Thanks for the info pete.
Andrew

alright, who makes a brake light switch that actually works?
The motorcraft one my car came with will stay on after the first time you hit the brakes whether you have your foot on the brake pedal or not. It also gets incredibly hot. I put my meter on it, and when it gets heated up it closes the circuit until the power stops flowing and it cools down.
The GP sorenson one that i got at advance worked for what i believe to be a few weeks. now it will work for about 5 seconds then the brake lights shut off. take my foot off the brake pedal for about 5 seconds and it will work for another 5......
long story short, I am going to get this gp switch waranteed when the doors open this morning, but i was wondering what switches people have had good luck with ?

Any chance it's something else in the circuit that is affecting the switch?

^^^^^^ thats what I am thinking. Personally I have had virtually no trouble with the switches themselves. The sweitch in my 86 Tbird 5.0 is pushing 25 years old with no problems (but wires to switch have broke twice over the years), and the switch in my TC has never been replaced in the 11 years I have owned it. Ditto for other Fords I have had.... I think I only replaced one switch once in 38 yers of driving mostly Fords.

Sounds like you have gone through a couple of switche's and they are getting hot, which means there is a heck of a draw on the circuit. Have you changed any brake light bulbs? The TC are specific for the Bulb number, and the amperage they draw. Also, check the grounds for the Brake lights, its a common Ford problem, the grounds get dirty and the brake lights ground back all the way through the system.

Those grounds can get rusty and lose contact and, as Martin says, they will ground thru the nearest ground flowing all current thru that area making it hot.