[rks]

When at rest, or at idle, the variator should be fully open, so the belt will be near the bottom. At the same time, the clutch pulley should be fully closed, with the belt riding at the very top.

If during belt installation, the variator was not held in place, but rather allowed to flop around on the shaft, a roller may have flipped. This could inhibit your variator's ability to open fully.

There are many videos on the net, about variators, belt installing, and such. Watch a few, you'll get a better understanding of how our drivetrains work.