LEBANON, Conn. -- The prices at the pump are causing headaches for everyone, including owners of gas stations with old-fashioned mechanical pumps.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Dan Kain reported that a number of the pumps only display gas prices up to $3.99 a gallon.

Gas Prices Antiquating Pumps

With gas prices marching $4 per gallon, station operators are quickly trying to adapt to the market.

Most stations have electronic pumps where changing the price is done with a keystroke. The old mechanical pumps, however, take a lot of tinkering, and some station owners are finding that their meters won't go high enough.

One side of the central pump at Bender's Oil Service in Lebanon is out of service because there is no 4 in the dollar column -- the pump can only handle prices up to $3.99.

"So we shut that side right down," said Kurt Kozikowski of Bender's Oil. "Now, luckily the rest of the pumps can go up to $5.99."

He said if gas hits $6 per gallon, he may have to get new pumps.

New pumps can cost up to $15,000 each and refurbished ones an upwards of $3,000.

In the meantime, Kozikowski said his station has found a way to adapt.

He said the current price for diesel is $4.68 per gallon so the station knocked the price on the pump to $2.34. When the customer goes to pay for the fuel, they double the final total.

Lebanon resident Gene Bergeron said it's a sign of the times when the pumps can't handle $4 per gallon.

"I remember when I used to get three gallons for a dollar," said Bergeron. "The pumps couldn't handle $2 back then."

Kozikowski said he remembers when gas went to $2 per gallon and said he has the old pumps to prove it.

"Well that one only goes to $3.99, so we didn't take it out. We're hoping some day we'll be able to use it again," he said.

Kain reported that even some of the newer pumps are having problems with the rising cost of fuel. Some of the newer pumps can only tally sales up to $99.99.

An Avon company that refurbishes pumps said it has about 1,700 of the pumps in its show and a 14-week backlog on orders.