Looks like the pinch roller axle, or the pinch roller hole size is not the correct.
Is the axle of the pinch roller firm on the spring-loaded assembly?
Here the axle looks like a plastic pin. A steel axle is always preferred.
Normally it is a steel pin axle one has to push through the holder and the pinch roller. This pin will only go from one side and for removing it needs to be pushed out from the other side. The steel pin barely slides through the pinch roller hole and is lubricated. There is not much clearance at all except for an oil film.
Normally the hole on the pinch roller is 2.0 mm diameter in most cases and 2.5mm in some other cases. So, the center pin axle diameter should match the pinch roller middle hole size.
You changed the pinch roller (13mm x 8.3mm x 2.5mm). What was the center pin diameter?
If the hole diameter on the pinch roller is 2.0 mm it needs a 2.0 mm diameter axle. The axle should fit well on the bracket.
If not, the pinch roller will not ride well on the capstan. This uneven ride is pinching the tape and squeezing it away from its normal path.
The pinch roller axle is the original metal one, 2.5mm. The pinch roller, old and new measure exactly the same, Other than the old pinch roller is worn down to about 12.8mm. There is a 13 stamped in the plastic of the old roller. Can a dab of clock movement oil be used on the pinch roller axle?
I think this may be an issue with the spring. Tomorrow afternoon I will take it apart again and see what's going on.
The spring is 0.37mm wire, an outside diameter of 3.92mm and I'm guess a length of 11mm but the length was measured after I damaged it and tried to fix it. The spring looks to have 6 turns.
Anywhere I can source this exact spring?