Shinny

I replaced the timing belt and tensioner a couple of years ago. Car has been driven 6 to 10 thousand miles since then. Needed to get back into the internals of the motor so I set it to TDC based on the Cam markings. Once I had pulled the balancer off I noticed the Crank sprocket TDC marking was a few degrees Clockwise from the mark on the oil pump housing. Checked to make sure the Cams had not moved and sure enough they were still perfectly at TDC. Put a socket extension down to the piston and it raised 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch as I rotated the crank to its TDC mark. It immediately started back down as I passed the TDC mark so there's no funny business going on there.

I used the method from the Haynes manual, and that I see referenced here as correct, to adjust the tensioner when putting it together originally. Rotate 5-6 times CCW to seat the belt. Loosen the tensioner bolt 180º then turn the Crank so the Cams move 3 teeth CCW. Tighten the tensioner bolt to 40ft/lbs. Rotate 5-6 times CCW and recheck the tension. I'm always nervous about the valves with these interference motors. I know I would have made sure the slack was correct and that the TDC marks on the Cams and Crank were all spot on.

Is this a result of the belt stretching? Possibly an error when I checked the belt slack?
If there was too much slack between the exhaust cam and the crank sprocket, then, as the movement in the timing belt system starts at the crank, the crank would rotate CCW pulling the slack out of the belt. Once the slack is removed the belt would pull the Cam gears. This would put the Crank ahead of the Cams in reaching TDC the next time around. Does that sound correct?

Motor is completely stock. Has actually been babied due to an oil pressure issue I've yet to rectify. Dayco belt for the 2000 ITR.

I hate to add to the massive pile of Timing Belt threads, but I couldn't find any terms that led me to threads with this issue.