Resolved 1G - Evo 8 timing belt on 1g walking

[Anfurnyy]

So I'm trying to use my An OEM Evo 8 timing belt on my 6 bolt 1g. The engine is "built" and I've heard that Evo 8 belts are a good Upgrade from the gates replacement and even an update to the OEM 1g Mitsu belt.

-balance shaft deleted with the OEM Mitsu spacer that replaces balance shaft gear behind crank.
-OEM Evo Belt is brand new from the package (albeit a couple years old)
-Gates OEM replacement is a roughly 2 years old with like 100miles on it.
-Both idler and tensioner pulleys were new with the gates belt.
-none of the pulleys have any excessive play in them, in and out nor side to side.
-OEM 6 bolt tensioner
-engine Is turned over fully 6 times after each belt

My issue is that ONLY when using the Evo 8 belt, it walks to the inside edge of the all the gears (both cams, oil pump, and crank). It sits basically flush with the edge or just barely over. This worries me because of premature wear on that side of the belt, this motor is going to make 800wheel or so, so any faults I want to correct..

When I use the gates belt it sits basically dead even in the middle of the cam gears and doesn't walk.

I have tried flipping the belt so lettering faces inwards instead of our and same Issue.
I've tried using the tensioner tool both pushed down on the tensioner pulley and pulling up to see if that effected pulley at all.

I checked the tensioner arm and there's a small amount of play, but nothing serious IMO:

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OEM spacer:

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Before turning over

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After turning over

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Tensioner position

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Who's got any suggestions? I don't really feel like paying $100 for a timing belt to "just try" another Evo belt.

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[DSSA]

You have a DSM belt. Evo 8 is the same part #. MD326059 This belt is for all '89-'05 4G63 DOHC engines. There is no "compatibility" issue here as you are using a stock DSM belt.

The "improved" belt, is the re-inforced Evo IX belt Part # 1145A038

 

[Anfurnyy]

You have a DSM belt. Evo 8 is the same part #. MD326059 This belt is for all '89-'05 4G63 DOHC engines. There is no "compatibility" issue here as you are using a stock DSM belt.

The "improved" belt, is the re-inforced Evo IX belt Part # 1145A038

Yeah I found that out shortly after posting this. Thanks!

 

[Anfurnyy]

So oddly enough, I swapped the pulleys out with new OEM pulleys and now the Evo 9 belt rides dead center.. maybe it was a combination of everything? This was after 10 full Rotations.

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[AWD-Tony]

When I was fight a water pump leak (long story), I did the job 4 times. Once I noticed the tbelt was shifted more to one side (same belt). I’m confident it had to do with the tension. If you have the tool to compress the tensioner, you can easily reinstall the grenade pin.