My KitchenAid dishwasher, about 13 years old, quit on me yesterday.

Food kept coming out dirty after 3 tries. I got out the manual, ruled
out obvious items (float valve, e.g.) then checked the water input
since
there wasn't any in the bottom. I felt around the hole's exterior,
scraped a
little calcium? off, re-started dishwasher. Nada.

There is NO discussion of this problem in the manual. I called
the help line; got somebody who said he had no idea.

No, I cannot afford a new one. (I washed dishes by hand before
and can do it again!). The price of a service call plus parts
would easily -- depending on cost of parts -- come to 1/3
the cost of a good though not fancy dishwasher (per Consumer
Reports Aug 2008). Which argues for replacing a 13-year-old
dishwasher, which I would do if I could.

So, does anybody have suggestions for diagnosing why
no water comes in? And is it repairable by unhandy moi
or nabe handyman?

TIA