Randomly will not start; All electrical goes out

[vansolrick]

Lately I've noticed that my car will randomly seem to short out when I try starting it. It doesn't happen very often (I would say 1/10 starts). When I go to crank the motor, all the electrical goes out before it even starts to turn the motor. I found that the only temp fix for now is to disconnect the neg battery terminal and reconnect it. After that it usually will crank and start without a problem.

I just replaced the battery. Before I was running a dying battery that wasn't pushing enough amps to start the car (it wouldn't hold a charge beyond 4 hours). Not sure if this has anything to do with fact that I used to try starting the car on cold mornings with the dying battery and it would just slowly turn and turn without starting. lol

Someone told me it could be the distributor but I was curious if it could be something else.

[Mr.mx-3]

Have you checked your connections?? In a way that's what it sounds like. So what it does is it starts fine and ever so often when you try to start it all the interior lights will go out and everything seems dead and then you remove the ground and reconnect it and it does fine am I right?? When this happens have you ever tried to wiggle the wire ends to get a connection?? Any corrosion on your wires or ends??? Even if you don't see any get a terminal cleaner tool and clean the post and the terminal.. Are your ends tight to the point where they can't be moved?? How long did you have the other batt.?? Sometime you will get a slight film you can't see over the ends and or terminals and it will cause this after cleaning get some kind of terminal protectant spray and spray both the ends and the posts liberaly and reapply the cables..