A scroll compressor (10) is disclosed which incorporates, in the first embodiment, a floating seal (50) having an inner face seal (52) and an outer face seal (54). The floating seal also has inner and outer diametric seals (58, 60) to seal against the walls of a recess (41) in the crankcase (36). The axial thickness of the floating seal exceeds the depth of the recess. As the scroll compressor undergoes start-up, the orbiting scroll element (14) is forced against the face seals (52, 54) to create a sealed chamber (40). Intermediate pressure from a compression pocket between the scroll elements pressurizes chamber (40) defined between the seals to force the orbiting scroll element (14) into engagement with the fixed scroll element (12). In a second embodiment, a floating seal (80) uses actuator piston (88) which is urged into continuous sealing contact with the orbiting scroll element (14) by an actuator spring (92) to create a sealed chamber. Upon start-up, the chamber (96) is provided with intermediate pressure gas which urges the orbiting scroll element (14) into engagement with the fixed scroll element (12).