Followed directions exactly to manual. Checked oil while cold and filled just enough to register on dip stick 1/2 a quart. Ran car for 20 seconds at 2000 rpm. Oil now registers at max. What I can not understand is why no oil registered on dip stick when cold. The car had only sat idle for a few days.

 

Your "dry sump" wasn't "dry." Oil migrates back to the engine sump from the oil reservoir when the car sits for a while.
That's why you have to run the engine momentarily to allow the scavenge pump to "empty" the "dry sump" before you check the oil level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_sump

 

Interesting, you would think not check when cold, since this might cause over fill situations, when no oil appears on dip stick

 

The top of my dry sump says "Check when cold. Run engine for 20s @ 2k RPM. Let stand for 30s. Check oil level."

Sounds like you did it in reverse order.
As a side note I find checking the oil when engine is hot shows it at max level.

 

Cause you didn't follow directions for a cold check by checking it BEFORE you ran the motor at 2k rpm for 20 seconds. You do the cold check after running the motor, not before.

 

I think he got confused because the wording can make it sound like you check the engine oil twice. "Check when cold" doesn't mean check before running the engine, just an engine that hasn't had a chance to come up to temperature yet. In other words, don't go for an hour drive, let the engine cool for five minutes and check the oil level.