"бы" + infinitive has sort of a contemplative tone. It is usually used when you're wondering about something or thinking something over: "куда бы пойти", "что бы почитать". "бы" + past tense usually refers to the so-called subjunctive mood or conditional mood (like "would" in English): "если бы я мог, я бы сделал".

"infinitive + бы" (in this order) can be used to express a wish (eg. Поехать бы сейчас в отпуск!); in interrogative sentences, "infinitive + бы" can be used to express indecision, uncertainty, doubt, hesitation or very often a question that the speaker addresses to himself/herself.

3. Хорошо бы съездить в отпуск. 3.1 Было бы неплохо съездить в отпуск. Here the story is a bit different. In present when you say "хорошо проснуться утром и обнаружить, что..." the verb is 'hidden' within "хорошо". "it is good to ..." 3. an 3.1 are two different ways to attach 'бы' to here. One way is to "extract" the verb from 'хорошо' and make it past: хорошо было бы.... Another way is to just attach 'бы' to хорошо. The difference is that "хорошо бы" is shorter than "хорошо было бы" (pretty long for speech!). "Хорошо бы" means that you want this right now. Or maybe even are considering this. "Хорошо было бы" sounds more abstract. Some imaginary situation is "good".

Cesar, 1. Я бы хотел.... Что бы ты хотел? Its counterpart is "Я хочу", "что ты хочешь". You add бы, "want" becomes Past. It is a more polite form. 2. Я вот думаю, как бы починить эту машину? 2.1. Что бы это могло значить? Что бы это значило? "how to" questions look like this without Бы: как сказать .... ? C чего начать...? They have infinitive form the start!!! There can't be past here, thee is no verb to make it Past. This answers "why no past?". The question remains what's the meaning. Consider "I'm just thinking, how could I fix this?". And: "что бы это могло значить?" What that COULD mean? Бы is irrealis mood. Irrealis is: conditional, subjunctive, alll the moods like this, that are a bit "abstract". Бы statements are more 'imaginary', so "я бы хотел" (i would like) is more polite. Such statements are less sure. In English i use 'could' for this. "i'm thinking how to fix this" and "i'm thinking how could I fix this". "Как бы починить..." is usually said when you explain your _concerns_. Как по-русски сказать ...? is a direct question: 'how to say .... in Russian?' Как бы по-русски сказать ...? Informs me that you ARE searching for a way to do so (perhaps expecting me to help). Now with "I'm thinking". "Я думаю, как починить машину" means, you are in the process of solving the problem. "Я думаю, как бы починить машину": - It's read this way: I'm thinking: "how could I fix this?". You are wondering. - it sounds 'dreamy', it means: you want this. - it also means, you want the car to be fixed. You tell, that you want the Result rather than that you are focused on a particular solution. - it has a shade of "for example". You want A way to fix it. One of many. You aren't working on THE solution. - in "что бы это значило" it has a shade of perplexion.

The infinitive doesn't refer to "бы". These phrases can be used without "бы".