Welcome to the forum!

Sorry you're having this trouble

My first thought, on reading your story, would be that the wagon wheel A/K/A spider gasket in the multiport was bad.

However, is the water still coming out the backwash port with the new Vari-Flo valve?

Does the impeller turn easily by hand? (if yes, read on - if no, the shaft is seized and we can tell you how to fix that )

I'm having a little trouble figuring this one out, but suspect a clogged impeller - have you been vacuuming a bunch of 'crud' (especially the leafy pollen string type)? Or perhaps a leak from the discharge port on the pump itself (rather than the multiport). Or maybe a seal assembly issue, water would leak from underneath the pump, where the motor meets the housing.

Any chance of giving us a picture of the system/ where the water is leaking (photobucket is how I post pics - but you might be able to do it without their service) We may have a simple terminology issue (you call it "X" and I call it "Y") - if we can get on the same page, I'll most likely be able to help you